CO 


MY    CAVE    LIFE 


IN 


YICKSBURG. 


LETTERS   OF  TRIAL  AND   TRAVEL. 


BY    A    LADY. 
**  f      ^ 


NEW  YORK : 
D.  APPLETON    AND    COMPANY, 

443  &  445  BROADWAY. 

LONDON:    16  LITTLE  BRITAIN. 

1864. 


•a? 

Ufe.3 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1864,  by 
'  ',£>;  APPLETO;N  •  AND  COMPANY,        ' 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Jhe  United  States  for  the 
/,    ',  '  ;Sotittern^J)is>.iict  of  New  York. 


- 


TO  ONE 

WHO,  THOUGH  ABSENT,  IS  EVER  PRESENT 

THIS     LITTLE    WAIF 
IS    TENDERLY   AND    AFFECTIONATELY 

Jtbtotfefc. 


997264 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAQB 

I.  Our  Party  set  out  for  Vicksburg  —  The  Ride  and 
Scenery — Scenes  during  the  first  Bombardment — 
View  of  the  City  and  River — Opening  of  a  Battery 

— The  Enemy, 9 

II.  At  Night  the  Signal  Gun  sounds — The  Gunboats  are 
coming  down — The  Town  Awake — Shell  Music — The 
Boats  near  us — Rapid*  Descent  to  the  Cave — They 
have  passed  safely — Why  the  Confederate  Guns  do 
not  fire — The  Burning  Transport,  .  .  .  .15 

III.  Masked   Battery  on  the  Opposite   Shore — Taking    the 

Cars — Fright  of  the  Xegro  Porters — Major  Watts's 
Party — Stampede  of  Ladies, 20 

IV.  Jackson   threatened — Colonel  Grierson — General  Pem- 

berton  departs — My  Mind  is  made  up  to  go  also — 
Ride  on  the  Cars — Vicksburg  again,          .         .         .25 
V.    To   Vicksburg   again — Aspirations — Troops  passing  to 
Black   River — General  Pemberton   orders   all   Non- 

Combatants  to  leave  the  City, 29 

VI.  Rumors  of  the  Federal  Advance  on  Black  River — Gun 
boats  on  the  River — Cannonading  and  Fire  at  War- 
renton  —  General  Pemberton's  Forces  engaged  at 

Black  River,    . 35 

VII.   Sunday,  the    17th — After   Church — The    Demoralized 

Army — Soldiers'  Stories,  ....         .40 

VIII.   Fresh  Troops  from  Warrenton  for  the  Intrenchments — 

"We'll  Protect  You"— Fears,         .         .         .         .46 
IX.   The  Ball  in  Motion — View  from  the   Court  House — 
Federal  Prisoners  sent  across  the  River — Movements 
of  Gunboats,  . 49 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

X.  Groundless  Fear  of  an  Attack  by  Gunboats — Shells 
fall  —  The  Bombardment  begins  —  Cave  Shelter — 
Garrison  Force — Cave  and  Cave  Life,  .  .  .55 

XI.  Buried  Alive — House  Breaking — Appearance  of  Shell 

at  Night — Under  the  Root  of  a  Fig  Tree,  .  .63 

XII.  Fire  at  Night — A  Narrow  Escape — Moonlight — Shells 

from  the  Battle  Field— Employment  and  Traffic,  .  69 

XIII.  Shells  from  the  Rear  of  the  City — Providential  De 

liverance —  Pantomime  —  Pea  Meal — Hospital  Ac 
cident,          73 

XIV.  Dogs — Horses — Descent  of  a  Shell  through  a  Cave — 

A  Mother's  Cries — Deserted  Homes — Silence,          .     78 
XY.   An  Excitement — Sinking  of  the  Cincinnati — Sky  Par 
lor  Hill — Moving  Prospects,  .         .         .         .84 
XVI.  Fall  of  a  Shell  at  the  Corner  of  my  Cave — Music — 

Casualties  of  the  Day, 89 

XVII.   Ride  to  the  Fortifications — Number  of  Caves  along 
the  Road — Appearance  of  the  New  Home — Change 

of  Missiles,  . 94 

XVIII.   Morning — Charge  of  General  Burbridge — Horrors  of 

War — An  Important  Discovery,     .         .         .         .99 
XIX.   An  Acceptable  Present — Hunger — Half  Rations — In 

the  Rifle  Pits, 105 

XX.   A   Rainy   Morning  —  A  Waterspout  —  Dismal  Expe 
rience  —  Brighter    Prospects  —  An    Unfortunate 

Sleeper, 109 

XXI.   Weary — The  Couriers  from  General  Johnston — Dan 
gerous  Pasturage  —  Mule   Meat — Local  Songs  — 

Missed  by  a  Minie  Ball, 114 

XXII.   A  Wounded  Horse — Shrapnell  Shells — Charge  on  the 

Intrenchments — Fearful  Firing,      .         .         .         .122 
XXHI.   An  Unhappy  Accident— The  Unfortunate  Ladies  of 
Vicksburg — Approach  of  Mortar  Shells  near  the  In 
trenchments,          128 

XXIV.  Death  of  a  Faithful  Servant — Blowing  up  of  a  Fort — 
Loss  of  Prominent  Officers — Surrender  of  Vicks 
burg,  135 

XXV.   A  Fright — George  my  Protector — A  Polite  Soldier 

gets  the  Tent  Fly, 143 

LETTERS  or  TRIAL  AND  TRAVEL, 147 


MY    CAVE   LIFE  IN   VICKSBUKG. 


MY  CAVE  LIFE  IN  VICKSBURG. 


CHAPTES.-!?.:..;:' 

OUR  PARTY  SET  OUT  FOR  YICKSBURG THE  RIDE  AND  SCENERY — SCENES 

DURING    THE     FIRST     BOMBARDMENT — TIEW    OF    THE    CITY    AND 
RIVER — OPENING   OF  A   BATTERY — THE    ENEMY.    . 

IT  has  been  said  that  the  peasants  of  the  Carn- 
pagna,  in  their  semi-annual  visits  to  the  Pontine 
marshes,  arrive  piping  and  dancing;  but  it  is 
seldom  they  return  in  the  same  merry  mood,  the 
malaria  fever  being  sure  to  affect  them  more  or 
less.  Although  I  did  not  leave  Jackson  on  the 
night  of  the  15th  piping  and  dancing,  yet  it  was 
with  a  very  happy  heart  and  very  little  foreboding 
of  evil  that  I  set  off  with  a  party  of  friends  for  a 
pleasant  visit  to  Yicksburg.  Like  the  peasants,  I 
returned  more  serious  and  with  a  dismal  expe 
rience.  How  little  do  we  know  with  what  rapid- 
1* 


10  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBIJKG. 

ity  our  feelings  may  change  !  We  had  been  plan 
ning  a  visit  to  Vicksburg  for  some  weeks,  and  an 
ticipating  pleasure  in  meeting  our  friends.  How 
gladly,  in  a  few  days,  we  left  it,  with  the  explo 
sions  of  bombs  still  sounding  in  our  ears !  How 
beautiful  was  this  evening :  the  sun  glowed  and 
warmed  into  mellow  tints  over  the  rough  forest 
trees  ;  over  the  long  moss  that  swung  in  slow  and 
stately  dignity,  like  old-time  dancers,  scorning  the 
quick  and  tripping  movements  of  the  present  day  ! 
Glowing  and  warming  over  all,  this  evening  sun, 
this  mellow,  pleasant  light,  breaking  in  warm 
tints  over  the  rugged  ground  of  the  plantation, 
showed  us  the  home  scenes  as  we  passed;  the 
sober  and  motherly  cows  going  home  for  the  even 
ing's  milking  through  the  long  lanes  between 
the  fields,  where  the  fences  threw  shadows  across 
the  road ;  making  strange,  weird  figures  of  the 
young  colts'  shadows,  lean  and  long-limbed  and 
distorted ;  the  mothers,  tired  of  eating  the  grass 
that  grew  so  profusely,  were  standing  in  quiet 
contentment,  or  drank  from  the  clear  runs  of 
water.  And  so  we  passed  on  by  the  houses,  where 
the  planter  sat  on  his  veranda,  listening  to  the 
voice  of  his  daughter  reading  the  latest  paper, 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG.  11 

while  round  her  fair  head,  like  a  halo,  the  linger 
ing  beams  of  the  sun  played. 

And  on  to  Black  Kiver,  "  Big  Black,"  with  its 
slow,  sluggish  tide !  Dark,  like  the  Stygian  stream, 
it  flowed  in  the  mist  of  the  evening,  the  twilight. 
And  soon  we  see  Yicksburg,  classic  ground  for 
ever  in  America.  The  Hudson  must  now  yield 
the  palm  to  the  Father  of  Waters.  Our  interest 
will  centre  around  spots  hallowed  by  the  deeds  of 
our  countrymen.  I  had  thought,  during  the  first 
bombardment  of  Yicksburg,  that  the  town  must 
have  been  a  ruin  ;  yet  very  little  damage  has  been 
done,  though  very  few  houses  are  without  evidence 
of  the  first  trial  of  metal.  One,  I  saw,  with  a  hole 
through  the  window ;  behind  was  one  of  corre 
sponding  size  through  the  panel  of  the  door,  which 
happened  to  be  open.  The  corner  of  the  piano  had 
been  taken  off,  and  on  through  the  wall  the  shot 
passed ;  one,  also,  passed  through  another  house, 
making  a  huge  gap  through  the  chimney.  And 
yet  the  inhabitants  live  in  their  homes  (those  who 
have  not  lost  some  loved  one)  happy  and  content 
ed,  not  knowing  what  moment  the  house  may  be 
rent  over  their  heads  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell. 

"  Ah !  "  said  I  to  a  friend,  "  how  is  it  possible 


12  MY   CAYE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJRG. 

you  live  here  ? "  "  After  one  is  accustomed  to  the 
change,"  she  answered,  "  we  do  not  mind  it ;  but 
becoming  accustomed,  that  is  the  trial."  I  was  re 
minded  of  the  poor  man  in  an  infected  district  who 
was  met  by  a  traveller  and  asked,  "  How  do  you 
live  here  ?  "  "  Sir,  we  die,"  was  the  laconic  reply. 
And  this  is  becoming  accustomed.  I  looked  over 
this  beautiful  landscape,  and  in  the  distance  plainly 
saw  the  Federal  transports  lying  quietly  at  their 
anchorage.  "Was  it  a  dream  ?  Could  I  believe  that 
over  this  smiling  scene,  in  the  bright  April  morn 
ing,  the  blight  of  civil  warfare  lay  like  a  pall  ? — lay 
over  the  fearful  homesteads — some,  even  now,  jar 
red  by  the  shock  of  former  conflicts — lay  by  the 
hearthstones,  making  moan  in  many  a  bereaved 
heart  looking  forward  with  vague  fears  to  the 
coming  summer. 

What  soul  in  the  land  but  has  felt  and  wit 
nessed  this  grief — this  unavailing  sorrow  for  the 
brave  and  untimely  dead  ?  I  thought  of  the  letter 
from  the  sorrowing  one  in  Iowa,  whose  son,  a  pris 
oner,  I  had  nursed,  receiving  with  the  last  breath 
words  for  the  distant,  unconscious  mother  ;  of  her 
sorrow  in  writing  of  him  in  his  distant  grave  ;  of 
her  pride  in  him,  her  only  son.  How  many  in  the 


MY    CAVE    LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  13 

land  could  take  her  hand  and  weep  over  a  mutual 
sorrow !  And  in  the  hospital  wards,  men,  who 
still  hold  the  name  of  Americans,  together  were 
talking  of  battles,  prisoners,  and  captors,  when 
each  told  the  other  of  acts  of  bravery  performed 
on  hostile  fields,  and  took  out  pictures  of  innocent 
babes,  little  children,  and  wives,  to  show  each 
other,  all  feeling  a  sympathy  and  interest  in  the 
unknown  faces.  Verily,  war  is  a  species  of  pas 
sionate  insanity.  While  standing  and  thinking 
thus,  the  loud  booming  of  the  guns  in  the  water 
batteries  startled  me,  the  smoke  showing  that  it 
was  the  battery  just  below  me,  that  opened,  I  was 
told,  on  what  was  thought  to  be  a  masked  battery 
011  the  opposite  shore.  ~No  reply  was  elicited, 
however ;  and  on  looking  through  the  glass,  we 
saw  in  the  line  of  levee,  between  the  river  and  the 
Federal  canal,  a  spot  where  new  earth  seemed  to 
have  been  thrown  up,  and  branches  of  trees  to  have 
been  laid  quite  regularly  in  one  place.  This  was 
all.  General  Lee,  however,  had  ordered  the  spot 
to  be  fired  on,  and  the  firing  continued  some  little 
time.  Our  ride  that  evening  had  been  delightful. 
We  sat  long  on  the  veranda  in  the  pleasant  air, 
with  the  soft  melody  and  rich  swell  of  music  from 


14:  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBUKG. 

the  band  floating  around  us,  while  ever  and  anon 
my  eye  sought  the  bend  of  the  river,  two  miles 
beyond,  where  the  Federal  transports,  brought  out 
in  bold  relief  by  the  waning,  crimson  light  of  the 
evening,  lay  in  seeming  quiet.  Still,  resting  in 
Yicksburg  seemed  like  resting  near  a  volcano. 


CHAPTER  II. 

AT  NIGHT  THE  SIGNAL  GUN  SOUNDS — THE  GUNBOATS  ARE  COMING 
DOWN — THE  TOWN  AWAKE — SHELL  MUSIC — THE  BOATS  NEAR 
US — RAPID  DESCENT  TO  THE  CAVE — THEY  HAVE  PASSED  SAFELY 
— WHY  THE  CONFEDERATE  GUNS  DO  NOT  FIRE — THE  BURNING 
TRANSPORT. 

AT  night  I  was  sleeping  profoundly,  when  the 
deep  boom  of  the  signal  cannon  startled  and  awoke 
me.  Another  followed,  and  I  sprang  from  my 
bed,  drew  on  my  slippers  and  robe,  and  went 
out  on  the  veranda.  Our  friends  were  already 
there.  The  river  was  illuminated  by  large  fires 
on  the  bank,  and  we  could  discern  plainly  the 
huge,  black  masses  floating  down  with  the  cur 
rent,  now  and  then  belching  forth  fire  from  their 
sides,  followed  by  the  loud  report,  and  we  could 
hear  the  shells  exploding  in  the  upper  part  of  town. 
The  night  was  one  of  pitchy  darkness ;  and  as 
they  neared  the  glare  thrown  upon  the  river  from 
the  large  fires,  the  gunboats  could  be  plainly  seen. 
Each  one,  on  passing  the  track  of  the  brilliant 
light  on  the  water,  became  a  target  for  the  land 


16  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJKG. 

batteries.  We  could  hear  the  gallop,  in  the  dark 
ness,  of  couriers  upon  the  paved  streets  ;  we  could 
hear  the  voices  of  the  soldiers  on  the  riverside. 
The  rapid  firing  from  the  boats,  the  roar  of  the 
Confederate  batteries,  and,  above  all,  the  scream 
ing,  booming  sound  of  the  shells,  as  they  exploded 
in  the  air  and  around  the  city,  made  at  once  a 
new  and  fearful  scene  to  me.  The  boats  were 
rapidly  nearing  the  lower  batteries,  and  the  shells 
were  beginning  to  fly  unpleasantly  near.  My 
heart  beat  quickly  as  the  flashes  of  light  from 
the  portholes  seemed  facing  us.  Some  of  the 
gentlemen  urged  the  ladies  to  go  down  into  the 
cave  at  the  back  of  the  house,  and  insisted  on  my 
going,  if  alone.  While  I  hesitated,  fearing  to  re 
main,  yet  wishing  still  to  witness  the  termina 
tion  of  the  engagement,  a  shell  exploded  near  the 
side  of  the  house.  Fear  instantly  decided  me,  and 
I  ran,  guided  by  one  of  the  ladies,  who  pointed 
down  the  steep  slope  of  the  hill,  and  left  me  to  run 
back  for  a  shawl.  While  I  was  considering  the 
best  way  of  descending  the  hill,  another  shell 
exploded  near  the  foot,  and,  ceasing  to  hesitate, 
I  flew  down,  half  sliding  and  running.  Before 
I  had  reached  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  two  more 


MY   CAVE   LIFE  IN   VICKSBUKG.  17 

exploded  on  the  side  of  the  hill  near  me.  Breath 
less  and  terrified,  I  found  the  entrance  and  ran  in, 
having  left  one  of  my  slippers  on  the  hillside. 

I  found  two  or  three  of  our  friends  had  already 
sought  refuge  under  the  earth ;  and  we  had  not 
been  there  long  before  we  were  joined  by  the  re 
mainder  of  the  party,  who  reported  the  boats  op 
posite  the  house.  As  I  had  again  become  per 
fectly  calm,  and  collected,  I  was  sorry  to  find 
myself  slightly  fluttered  and  in  a  state  of  rapid 
heart-beatings,  as  shell  after  shell  fell  in  the  valley 
below  us,  exploding  with  a  loud,  rumbling  noise, 
perfectly  deafening.  The  cave  was  an  excavation 
in  the  earth  the  size  of  a  large  room,  high  enough 
for  the  tallest  person  to  stand  perfectly  erect,  pro 
vided  with  comfortable  seats,  and  altogether  quite 
a  large  and  habitable  abode  (compared  with  some 
of  the  caves  in  the  city),  were  it  not  for  the  damp 
ness  and  the  constant  contact  with  the  soft  earthy 
walls.  We  had  remained  but  a  short  time,  when 
one  of  the  gentlemen  came  down  to  tell  us  that 
all  danger  was  over,  and  that  we  might  witness 
a  beautiful  sight  by  going  upon  the  hill,  as  one 
of  the  transports  had  been  fired  by  a  shell,  and 
was  slowly  floating  down  as  it  burned. 


18  MY  CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJRG. 

We  returned  to  the  house,  and  from  the  ve 
randa  looked  on  the  burning  boat,  the  only  one, 
so  far  as  we  could  ascertain,  that  had  been  in 
jured,  the  other  boats  having  all  passed  success 
fully  by  the  city.  "We  remained  on  the  veranda 
an  hour  or  more,  the  gentlemen  speculating  on  the 
result  of  the  successful  run  by  the  batteries.  All 
were  astonished  and  chagrined.  It  was  found 
that  very  few  of  the  Confederate  guns  had  been 
discharged  at  all.  Several  reasons  had  been  as 
signed  ;  the  real  one  was  supposed  to  have  been 
the  quality  of  the  fuses  that  were  recently  sent 
from  Richmond,  and  had  not  been  tried  since  their 
arrival.  This  night  of  all  others  they  were  found 
to  be  defective.  The  lurid  glare  from  the  burning 
boat  fell  in  red  and  amber  light  upon  the  house,  the 
veranda,  and  the  animated  faces  turned  toward 
the  river — lighting  the  white  magnolias,  paling 
the  pink  crape  myrtles,  and  bringing  out  in 
bright  distinctness  the  railing  of  the  terrace,  where 
drooped  in  fragrant  wreaths  the  clustering  passion 
vine :  fair  and  beautiful,  but  false,  the  crimson, 
wavering  light. 

I  sat  and  gazed  upon  the  burning  wreck  of 
what  an  hour  ago  had  thronged  with  human  life  ; 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  19 

with  men  whose  mothers  had  this  very  night 
prayed  for  them  ;  with  men  whose  wives  tearfully 
hovered  over  little  beds,  kissing  each  tender,  sleep 
ing  lid  for  the  absent  one.  Had  this  night  made 
them  orphans  ?  Did  this  smooth,  deceitful  cur 
rent  of  the  glowing  waters  glide  over  forms  loved 
and  lost  to  the  faithful  ones  at  home  ?  O  mother 
and  wife  !  ye  will  pray  and  smile  on,  until  the  ter 
rible  tidings  come  :  "  Lost  at  Yicksburg  !  "  Lost 
at  Yicksburg  !  In  how  many  a  heart  the  name  for 
years  will  lie  like  a  brand ! — lie  until  the  warm 
heart  and  tried  soul  shall  be  at  peace  forever. 


CHAPTEK  III. 

MASKED  BATTERY  ON  THE  OPPOSITE  SHORE — TAKING  THE  CARS — 
FRIGHT  OP  THE  NEGRO  PORTERS — MAJOR  "WATTS'S  PARTY — STAM 
PEDE  OF  LADIES. 

AT  breakfast,  on  the  morning  of  the  17th,  we  heard 
discussed  the  question,  Whether  there  was  a  mask 
ed  battery  on  the  opposite  shore  or  not  \  After 
some  words  on  the  subject,  pro  and  con,  we  ranged 
the  shore  with  the  glass,  seeing  what  the  gentle 
men  believed  to  be  a  battery.  They  had  been 
talking  some  moments,  when  I  took  the  glass  and 
saw  a  number  of  Federal  soldiers  walking  on  the 
levee  toward  the  spot  where  the  battery  was  sup 
posed  to  be.  Several  others  seemed  to  be  engaged 
on  this  very  place  removing  the  branches.  I  call 
ed  one  of  the  gentlemen  to  look.  I  had  given  up 
the  glass  but  a  few  moments,  when  a  volume  of 
smoke  burst  from  the  embankment,  and  two  shells 
were  sent,  one  after  the  other,  exploding  at  the 
depot  just  below  us.  It  was  indeed  a  battery, 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  21 

with  two  guns,  which  commenced  playing  on  the 
city  vigorously. 

We  were  to  leave  that  morning,  and  hearing 
that  the  cars  would  not  venture  up  to  the  depot, 
went  to  a  point  below,  where  we  found  many  anx 
ious  persons  awaiting  their  arrival.  We  entered 
the  cars,  and  were  sitting  quite  securely  and  com 
fortably,  when  it  was  whispered  around,  much 
to  the  consternation  of  passengers,  that  they  were 
ordered  to  approach  the  depot  as  near  as  possible, 
and  take  on  freight ;  and  thus  we  were  carried 
up,  under  shelter  of  a  high  bluff,  with  many  mis 
givings  on  my  part,  as  shell  after  shell  exploded  on 
the  hill  above  us.  A  nervous  gentleman  leaned 
forward  and  told  me  that  we  were  in  great  dan 
ger,  and,  speaking  in  the  same  manner  to  many 
of  the  ladies,  suggested  that,  if  we  made  the  re 
quest,  the  conductor  would  doubtless  back  into  a 
safe  place. 

Although  so  frightened,  his  mode  of  relief  was 
so  evidently  selfish  that  the  gentlemen  began 
joking  him  most  unmercifully.  In  looking  out 
of  the  window,  although  I  felt  a  sympathy  for  the 
poor  fellow,  I  could  not  but  be  amused  at  the  ludi 
crous  scene  that  presented  itself :  the  porters  bring- 


22  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

ing  the  baggage  and  small  freight  from  the  depot 
acted  as  if  wild — now  halting  to  await  the  course 
of  a  shell — then  dashing  forward,  determined  to 
reach  the  cars  before  another  came.  Two  negroes 
were  coming  with  a  small  trunk  between  them, 
and  a  carpet  bag  or  two,  evidently  trying  to  show 
others  of  the  profession  how  careless  of  danger 
they  were,  and  how  foolish  "  niggars  "  were  to  run 
"  dat  sort  o'  way."  A  shell  came  ricochetting 
through  the  air  and  fell  a  few  yards  beyond  the 
braves,  when,  lo !  the  trunk  was  sent  tumbling, 
and  landed  bottom  upward ;  the  carpet  bag  fol 
lowed — one  grand  somerset ;  and  amid  the  cloud 
of  dust  that  arose,  I  discovered  one  porter  doubled 
up  by  the  side  of  the  trunk,  and  the  other  crouch 
ing  close  by  a  pile  of  plank.  A  shout  from  the 
negroes  on  the  cars,  and  much  laughter,  brought 
them  on  their  feet,  brushing  their  knees  and 
giggling,  yet  looking  quite  foolish,  feeling  their 
former  prestige  gone.  Yet  gentlemen  and  ser 
vants  avoided  the  depot  as  much  as  possible  ;  and 
whenever  a  portion  of  earth  was  seen  to  arise  in  a 
small  volume,  accompanied  by  smoke,  men  of  both 
colors  immediately  ran  (without  casting  a  look 
behind)  swiftly  in  the  opposite  direction,  "  gentle- 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBURG.  23 

men  of  color  "  generally,  in  their  haste,  stumbling 
and  turning  one  or  two  somersets  before  reaching 
a  place  of  safety.  And  so  the  shell  continued 
coming,  exploding  on  all  sides,  yet  not  happening 
to  reach  us.  Soon  the  glad  sound  of  the  whistle 
was  heard,  and,  after  our  long  suspense,  we  felt 
the  motion  of  the  cars  again,  and  were  glad  to 
leave  Yicksburg,  with  the  sound  of  the  cannon 
and  noise  of  the  shell  still  ringing  in  our  ears. 
Some  young  lady  friends  of  mine  were  laughing 
and  telling  me  of  their  experience  during  the 
danger  of  the  previous  night ;  of  the  fright  and 
trouble  they  were  in  at  the  time  the  gunboats 
passed.  Major  "Watts,  of  the  Confederate  army, 
had  given  a  very  large  party,  which  they  attend 
ed  ;  one  dressed  in  a  corn-colored  silk  trimmed 
with  black  lace ;  another  in  blue  silk  trimmed 
with  white  point,  and  still  another  in  white  lace. 
In  the  confusion  and  alarm,  as  the  first  shell  fell, 
one  of  the  young  girls,  who  was  dancing  with  a 
brigadier-general,  clasped  her  hands  and  exclaim 
ed,  "  Where  shall  we  go  ? "  In  jest  he  said,  "  To 
the  country  for  safety."  Believing  him  serious, 
in  the  confusion  that  ensued,  she  told  her  young 
friends.  They  set  out  alone  with  all  speed,  fright- 


24  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

ened  and  trembling.  Fortunately  a  gentleman 
friend,  discovering  their  absence,  overtook,  and 
proceeded  with  them.  As  a  shell  wonld  be  heard 
coming,  he  would  cry,  "  Fall !  "  and  down  they 
would  drop  in  the  dust,  party  dresses  and  all, 
lying  until  the  explosion  took  place ;  then  up, 
with  wild  eyes  and  fiercely  beating  hearts,  flying 
with  all  speed  onward.  After  running  about  a 
mile  in  the  fewest  moments  possible,  and  falling 
several  times,  they  stopped  at  the  first  house,  and 
remained  until  their  friends  sent  out  for  them  in 
carriages. 

"  If  you  could  have  seen  our  party  dresses 
when  we  reached  home,  and  our  hair,  and  the 
flowers,  full  of  dust,  you  would  never  have  for 
gotten  us,"  cried  one.  "  Ah  !  "  said  another,  "  we 
laugh  gayly  this  morning,  for  we  are  leaving  the 
guns  behind  us ;  but  last  night  it  was  a  serious 
business,  and  we  absolutely  ran  for  our  lives." 
How  delighted  I  was  with  the  quiet  rest  of  our 
home  in  Jackson!  I  mentally  forswore  Yicks- 
burg  during  the  war.  But  man  proposes,  and 
God  disposes." 


CHAPTER  IY. 

JACKSON  THREATENED — COLONEL  GRIERSON — GENERAL  PEMBERTON  DE 
PARTS — MY  MIND  IS  MADE  UP  TO  GO  ALSO — RIDE  ON  THE  CARS — 
VICKSBURG  AGAIN. 

OUK  quiet  was  destined  to  be  of  short  duration. 
We  were  startled  one  morning  by  hearing  that 
Colonel  Grierson,  of  the  Federal  army,  was  ad 
vancing  on  Jackson.  The  citizens  applied  to 
General  Pemberton  to  protect  them.  He  an 
swered  that  there  was  no  danger.  Suddenly,  the 
ladies'  carriage  and  saddle  horses  were  pressed, 
and  the  clerks  and  young  men  of  the  town  were 
mounted  on  them,  and  started  out  to  protect 
us  ( 1 ).  I  was  told  that  the  first  time  they  met  the 
Federal  troops  most  of  them  were  captured,  and 
we  heard  of  them  no  more.  "We  need  not  have 
feared,  for  Colonel  Grierson  was  spoken  of  every 
where  (so  some  ladies  from  the  district  through 
which  he  passed,  afterward  told  me)  as  a  gentle 
man  who  would  not  allow  his  men  to  treat  any 
2 


26  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUEG. 

one  with  the  slightest  disrespect,  or  take  the  least 
article  from  a  citizen's  house  ;  and  they  all  treat 
ed  ladies  courteously.  There  was  not  one  instance 
of  unkindness  to  any  human  being,  so  far  as  I 
could  learn.  He  should  have  the  thanks  of  every 
brave  man  and  Southern  woman.  This  man, 
though  an  avowed  enemy,  scorned  to  torture  or 
wage  war  on  God's  weaker  creation. 

Again  the  rumor  came  that  from  Canton  a 
large  Federal  force  was  advancing  on  Jackson. 
Jackson  was  to  be  defended ! !  which  I  doubted. 
Soon  General  Pemberton  left  and  went  to  Vicks- 
burg — Mrs.  Pemberton  to  Mobile.  Batteries  were 
being  erected  in  different  parts  of  the  town — one 
directly  opposite  the  house  I  was  in.  I  stood  con 
sidering  one  morning  where  it  was  best  to  go,  and 
what  it  was  best  to  do,  when  a  quick  gallop  sounded 
on  the  drive,  and  a  friend  rode  hastily  up  and  said, 
"  Are  you  going  to  leave  ?  "  "  Yes,"  I  answered, 
"  but  I  have  not  yet  decided  where  to  go."  "  Well, 
I  assure  you  there  is  no  time  for  deliberation  ;  I 
shall  take  my  family  to  Yicksburg,  as  the  safest 
place,  and,  if  you  will  place  yourself  under  my 
charge,  I  will  see  you  safely  to  your  husband." 
So  the  matter  was  agreed  upon,  and  we  were  to 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJRG.  27 

leave  that  evening.  Still,  I  was  in  doubt ;  the 
Federal  army  was  spreading  all  over  the  coun 
try,  and  I  feared  to  remain  where  I  was.  Yet  I 
thought,  may  I  not  be  in  danger  in  Yicksburg  ? 
Suppose  the  gunboats  should  make  an  attack  ? 
Still,  it  was  true,  as  my  friend  had  said,  we  were 
in  far  more  danger  here  from  the  rabble  that 
usually  followed  a  large  army,  and  who  might 
plunder,  insult,  and  rob  us.  No;  to  Yicksburg 
we  must  go ! 

Yery  hurriedly  we  made  our  arrangements, 
packing  with  scarcely  a  moment  to  lose,  not  stop 
ping  to  discuss  our  sudden  move  and  the  alarming 
news.  Our  friends,  also,  were  in  as  great  a  panic 
and  dismay  as  ourselves.  Mrs.  A.  had  some  chests 
of  heavy  silver.  Many  of  the  pieces  were  such  that 
it  would  have  taken  some  time  to  bury  them.  Her 
husband  was  absent,  and  she  feared  to  trust  the 
negro  men  with  the  secret.  Another  friend  fear 
ed  to  bury  her  diamonds,  thinking  in  that  case  she 
might  never  see  them  more  ;  feared,  also,  to  retain 
them,  lest,  through  negroes'  tales,  the  cupidity  of 
the  soldiers  might  become  excited,  and  she  be 
a  sufferer  in  consequence.  Every  tumult  in  the 
town  caused  us  to  fly  to  the  doors  and  windows, 


28  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG. 

fearing  a  surprise  at  any  time ;  and  not  only  ladies, 
with  pale  faces  and  anxious  eyes,  met  us  at  every 
turn,  but  gentlemen  of  anti-military  dispositions 
were  running  hither  and  thither,  with  carpet  bags 
and  little  valises,  seeking  conveyances,  determined 
to  find  a  safe  place,  if  one  could  be  found,  where  the 
sound  of  a  gun  or  the  smell  of  powder  might  never 
disturb  them  any  more ;  and,  as  they  ran,  each 
had  an  alarming  report  to  circulate ;  so  that  with 
the  rush  and  roar  of  dray,  wagon,  and  carriage, 
the  distracting  reports  of  the  rapid  advance  of 
the  Federal  army,  and  the  stifling  clouds  of  dust 
that  arose — with  all,  we  were  in  a  fair  way  to  be 
lieve  ourselves  any  being  or  object  but  ourselves. 

The  depot  was  crowded  with  crushing  and 
elbowing  human  beings,  swaying  to  and  fro— 
baggage  being  thrown  hither  and  thither — horses 
wild  with  fright,  and  negroes  with  confusion ;  and 
so  we  found  ourselves  in  a  car,  amid  the  living 
stream  that  flowed  and  surged  along — seeking  the 
Mobile  cars — seeking  the  Yicksburg  cars — seeking 
anything  to  bear  them  away  from  the  threatened 
and  fast  depopulating  town. 


CHAPTEE  V. 

TO  VICKSBURG  AGAIN — ASPIRATIONS — TROOPS  PASSING  TO  BLACK 
RIVER — GENERAL  PEMBERTON  ORDERS  ALL  NON-COMBATANTS  TO 
LEAVE  THE  CITY. 

LEAVING  the  threatened,  teeming  town  behind  us, 
we  moved  slowly  on — our  friends,  my  little  one, 
and  myself — toward  Yicksburg.  Ah  !  Yicksburg, 
our  city  of  refuge,  the  last  to  yield  thou  wilt  be ; 
and  within  thy  homes  we  will  not  fear  the  footstep 
of  the  victorious  army,  but  rest  in  safety  amid  thy 
hills  !  and  those  whom  we  love  so  dearly  will  com 
fort  and  sustain  us  in  our  frightened  and  panic- 
stricken  condition — will  laugh  away  our  woman's 
fears,  and  lighten  our  hearts  from  the  dread  and 
suffering  we  have  experienced.  Yet,  is  there  any 
place  where  one  is  perfectly  safe  in  these  terrible 
times  ?  As  we  travelled  along,  the  night  air 
blowing  so  refreshingly  upon  us  through  the  open 
window — our  seats  so  quiet — the  motion  of  the 


30  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

cars  so  soothing,  my  friends  soon  gave  unmis 
takable  signs  of  the  deep  sleep  that  had  fallen 
upon  them ; — the  quiet  of  the  night — the  air  so 
fragrant — the  heavens  above  us  so  calm  and  star 
lit ! 

I  leaned  my  head  against  the  window  and 
looked  into  the  darkness.  How  calm  and  earnest 
the  thoughts  that  came  to  me  after  the  unquiet 
and  restlessness  of  the  day  !  The  blessed  hope  of 
the  heavenly  home  seemed  doubly  gracious.  How 
longingly  I  looked  upon  the  veil  that  lay  between 
our  world  and  the  beyond !  Ah  !  the  beyond, 
where  Christ  has  gone,  that  our  life  there  may  be 
perfected  through  him ;  the  beyond,  where  many 
a  night  like  this  my  eyes  have  looked  upon  the 
stars ;  and  my  soul  trembled  and  panted,  wist 
fully  longing  for  more  knowledge  of  the  life  above 
— wistfully  longing  for  the  child,  the  martyr  child, 
that  suffered  and  died  upon  my  bosom — the  child 
whose  life  on  earth  was  so  much  a  part  of  my 
own  ! — whose  heavenly  life  I  wish  so  much  to  in 
fluence  my  own  !  And  I  seek,  I  know  not  what, 
as  I  gaze  upon  those  worlds  above.  I  dare  not 
ask  for  a  revelation ;  but,  ah !  could  I  penetrate 
beyond  the  stars  and  catch  one  ray  of  the  glorious 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG.  31 

life !  Yet,  the  consciousness  of  a  refined  and 
purer  existence  is  ever  near  me,  as  my  mind  sep 
arates  from  the  earth — gives  itself  up  to  intangible 
and  yearning  inquiries,  that  will  never  be  satis 
fied  until  I,  too,  stand  within  the  presence  of  my 
Creator.  Oh,  this  night  time,  this  starlit,  clear, 
and  most  pure  heaven  before  us !  Does  not  one 
see  oneself  more  clearly,  when  looking  upward 
with  the  ever-undefined  emotion  that  we  feel  when 
gazing  at  the  heavens  at  night  ? — does  not  our 
own  unworthiness,  our  soul's  need  of  a  Saviour, 
come  to  us  as  our  conscience,  overcoming  the  cal 
lousness  of  the  day  and  the  world,  whispers  to  us 
of  many  derelictions  from  our  duty  ?  of  prayers 
hastily  said  over  ?  of  opportunities  for  good  to  our 
fellow  men  lost  ?  The  soft  answer,  the  kind  word 
and  cheering  smile  to  the  world  weary,  all  have 
been  passed  by ;  and  we  see  where  good,  to  one 
"  of  the  least  of  these,"  might  have  made  a  life 
happier ;  and,  as  to  the  pure,  all  things  are  pure, 
so  we,  as  we  pant  for  the  heavenly  life,  and  the 
ennobling  existence  belonging  to  it,  see  more 
clearly  the  imperfections  in  this,  and  in  our  daily 
duties,  and  our  need  of  a  Mediator  with  him  to 
whose  pure  eyes  we  are  wholly  unworthy ;  alas  !  so 


32  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBUKG. 

unworthy,  that  with,  this  life  our  worthiness  can 
never  begin. 

As  we  passed  along  nearing  Yicksburg,  we 
could  see  camps  and  camp  fires,  with  the  dim 
figures  of  men  moving  around  them  ;  we  could  see 
the  sentinel  guarding  the  Black  River  bridge, 
silent  and  erect,  looking  in  the  darkness  like  a 
dusky  statue  ornamenting  some  quaint  and  mas 
sive  bridge  of  the  old  countries ;  and  farther, 
masses  of  men  in  the  road  marching  quietly  in  the 
night  time,  followed  by  the  artillery ;  long  lines 
of  wagons,  too,  passing  through  the  ravines — now 
the  white  covers  seen  on  the  brow  of  the  hill ; 
losing  sight  of  them  again,  we  hear  the  shout  of  the 
teamsters,  the  crack  of  the  whip — and  again  catch 
sight  of  a  white  top  through  trees — and  the  occa 
sional  song  of  a  wagoner.  At  the  depot  soldiers 
were  crowded,  waiting  to  go  out ;  and  on  our  ar 
rival  at  our  friend's,  we,  so  weary  with  the  excite 
ment  and  turmoil  of  the  day,  were  glad  to  rest  our 
tired  heads  in  calmness  and  peace,  with  no  fears 
for  the  morrow,  or  restless  forebodings  of  evil. 

Upon  reading  the  papers  the  next  morning, 
almost  the  first  article  that  caught  my  eye  was 
an  order  from  General  Pemberton,  insisting  on  all 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  33 

non-combatants  leaving  the  city.  "  Heretofore," 
lie  said,  "  I  have  merely  requested  that  it  should 
be  done  ;  now  I  demand  it."  "  Ah ! "  cried  I, 
"  have  we  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  our  foot  ?  Must 
we  again  go  through  the  fright  and  anxiety  of  yes 
terday?"  "We  cannot  leave  here,"  replied  my 
friend.  "  "Where  can  we  go  ?  Here  we  are  among 
our  friends — we  are  welcome,  and  we  feel  in  safety. 
Let  us  at  least  share  the  fate  of  those  we  love  so 
much.  If  we  leave,  we  cannot  tell  to  what  we 
may  be  exposed — even  now,  probably,  the  Federal 
army  occupy  Jackson  ;  if  we  go  into  the  country, 
we  are  liable  at  any  time  to  be  surrounded  by 
them ;  and  to  whom  can  we  apply  for  protection 
from  the  soldiery  ?  We  must  stay  here,  even  if 
the  gentlemen  say  go,  which,  I  fear,  they  will ;  we 
must  urge  them  to  allow  us  to  remain,  for  you 
know  they  can  refuse  us  nothing.  Oh,  we  are  so 
quiet  and  peaceful,  we  must  stay,  come  what 
will."  "When  the  gentlemen  came,  we  talked  of 
the  "  order  "  with  them.  At  first  they  said  we 
must  leave  ;  but  we  entreated  them  to  let  us  stay, 
representing  our  deplorable  condition  in  a  coun 
try  overrun  by  soldiers,  the  great  danger  of  trying 
to  go  to  Mobile  by  railway,  the  track  having  been 
2* 


34:  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICSKBURG. 

partly  destroyed  between  Meridian  and  Jackson. 
We  declared  that  we  would  almost  starve — that 
we  wonld  meet  any  evil  cheerfully  in  Yicksburg, 
where  our  friends  were — where  we  were  carefully 
housed,  quiet,  and  contented.  So,  laughingly,  they 
said  they  were  completely  overcome  by  our  dis 
tress,  and  would  arrange  it  so  that  we  could  stay 
if  we  wished.  "  But,  remember,"  they  said,  "  if 
trouble  comes,  you  must  meet  it  with  your  eyes 
open."  "  Yes,"  we  said,  "  we  can  meet  trouble 
where  you  are,  cheerfully."  All  seemed  to  think 
that  the  matter  would  be  decided  some  distance 
from  Yicksburg,  and  that  General  Pemberton 
wanted  to  cast  the  responsibility  from  his  shoul 
ders,  if  the  worst  came,  and  ladies  were  endanger 
ed  in  the  city. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

RUMORS  OF   THE   FEDERAL   ADVANCE  ON   BLACK   RIYER — GUNBOATS  ON 
THE   RIVER — CANNONADING  AND  FIRE   AT  WARRENTON — GENERAL 

PEMBERTON'S  FORCES  ENGAGED  AT  BLACK  RIVER. 

WE  settled  ourselves  delightfully.  With  our  sew 
ing  in  the  morning,  and  rides  in  the  evening,  our 
home  was  very  pleasant — very  happy  and  quiet. 
Rumors  came  to  us  of  the  advance  of  the  Federal 
troops  on  Black  River  ;  yet,  so  uncertain  were  the 
tidings,  and  so  slow  was  the  advantage  gained,  we 

began  to  doubt  almost  everything.     M was 

stationed  below  at  Warrenton,  and  came  only  oc 
casionally  to  see  us,  as  the  gunboats  were  threaten 
ing  that  point.  Still,  we  were  in  a  manner  already 
cut  off  from  the  outer  world,  for  the  cars  had  ceased 
running  farther  than  the  Black  River  bridge,  where 
General  Pemberton  had  stationed  his  forces,  fortify 
ing  and  awaiting  an  attack ;  still,  every  morning 
the  papers  would  tell  us  all  was  right,  and  our  life 
passed  on  the  same.  Almost  every  day  we  walked 
up  the  Sky  Parlor  Hill,  and  looked  through  the 


36  MY   CAVE  LIFE   IN  VICKSBURG. 

glass  at  the  Federal  encampment  near  the  head 
of  the  abandoned  canal ;  we  could  see  plainly, 
also,  below,  at  a  point  called  "  Brown  and  John 
son's  Landing,"  the  passing  of  trains  of  wagons 
carrying  supplies  to  the  fleet  below ;  we  could, 
also,  discern  troops  and  mounted  men  on  the  op 
posite  shore,  though  some  miles  away; — again, 
at  the  head  of  the  canal,  out  in  the  stream,  list 
lessly  lay  the  dark  forms  of  the  gunboats — now 
two  lying  quite  near  each  other — then,  perhaps, 
a  group  of  three,  or  often  one  alone,  manned  by 
negroes,  as  with  the  aid  of  the  glass  we  could 
see  them  passing  to  and  fro ;  we  could  see,  also, 
the  little  tugboats  carrying  despatches  from  one 
to  the  other,  we  supposed,  as  frequently  after 
their  visit  a  transport  or  gunboat  would  put  on 
steam  and  follow  them  up  the  river ;  we  could  see 
couriers  galloping  from  groups  of  tents  along  the 
shore  up  to  where,  we  presumed,  the  masses  of 
the  soldiers  were  encamped.  Altogether,  the  Fed 
eral  encampment  and  movements  were  far  more 
stirring  and  interesting  than  the  quiet  fortified 
life  of  Yicksburg,  waiting  with  calm  and  bristling 
front  the  result  of  the  energetic  movements  be 
yond.  We  met  frequently  on  Sky  Parlor  Hill  an 


MY    CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  37 

acquaintance  on  General  Pemberton's  staff,  who 
seemed  to  watch  with  interest  operations  on  the 
shore  above  and  below  us.  We  could  see  that 
Yicksburg  was  as  attentively  observed  by  the  Fed 
eral  troops. 

The  gunboats  that  stood  out  in  the  stream 
above  seemed  to  be  acting  as  sentinels,  or  on  a 
kind  of  picket  duty,  I  might  call  it,  as  a  man  in 
uniform  constantly  paced  the  deck  with  a  large 
glass  under  his  arm,  which  he  frequently  raised 
and  took  a  survey  of  the  city.  But  Yicksburg 
must  have  been  a  sealed  book  to  him  among  her 
hills  from  that  point  of  view. 

One  night  we  heard  heavy  cannonading  an  hour 
or  two,  ceasing,  and  then  commencing  again  quite 
early  in  the  morning,  undoubtedly  from  the  vicin 
ity  of  Warrenton.  How  little  we  thought  that  was 
the  commencement  of  music  that  would  ring  in  our 
ears  for  weeks  to  come ! — how  little  we  thought 
it  the  beginning  of  trouble  !  That  night  the  sky 
in  the  south  was  crimsoned  by  the  light  of  a  large 
fire — the  cause  we  could  not  learn.  The  next  day 
we  heard  that  the  little  village  of  Warrenton  had 
been  burned  by  shells  thrown  from  the  boats. 
M came  in  that  evening,  and  told  us  that  the 


38  MY   CAVE   LITE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

gunboats  had  been  amusing  themselves  by  throw 
ing  shot  and  shell  at  the  fort — that  very  little 
damage  had  been  done,  except  setting  fire  to  some 
of  the  cotton  composing  the  fort,  which  was  still 
smouldering  and  burning  slowly  under  the  earth 
works.  We  were  told  soon  after  by  some  of  our 
friends,  that  the  fort  at  Warrenton  had  been 
quietly  evacuated  ;  at  least,  all  the  guns  had  been 
taken  from  it  and  brought  into  Yicksburg,  with 
ammunition,  stores,  &c. ;  the  troops  were  left  there 

as  a  blind  for  the  time  being — all  this  M did 

not  tell  me.  It  must  have  been  a  trial  for  the 
men  to  lie  perfectly  quiet,  enduring  a  steady  fire 
that  they  were  unable  to  return.  However,  the 
time  came  when  these  men  could  look  back  to 
the  shelling  of  "Warrenton  as  a  slight  matter  in 
comparison  with  the  storm  of  shot  and  shell  that 
rained  upon  them  in  the  rear  of  Yicksburg.  And 

now  began  my  excitement :    M was  below, 

and  exposed  to  the  firing  we  heard  every  morn 
ing  and  evening ;  and  I  prayed  for  him  so  fer 
vently,  feeling  how  utterly  powerless  I  was,  and 
how  merciful  and  powerful  our  Father  would  be. 

Saturday  came,  and  with  it  the  news  that  a 
battle  was  going  on  between  the  Federal  troops 


MY   CAVE    LIVE   IN   VICZSBURG.  39 

and  General  Pemberton's  forces  at  Black  River ; 
and  I  saw  the  blanching  of  a  bright  cheek,  and 
felt,  with  a  heavy  heart,  that  the  hopes  of  happi 
ness,  for  many  a  year  to  come,  of  a  dear  friend, 
hung  upon  a  life  that  would  be  bravely  ventured 
there  to-day.  Oh !  the  terrible  suspense  of  that 
day,  when  feeling  that,  let  the  result  be  what  it 
would  (and  we  trembled  for  it),  the  lives  of  our 
friends  were  all  in  all  to  us. 


CHAPTEE  VII. 

SUNDAY,   THE   !7lH — AFTER    CHURCH — THE    DEMORALIZED    ARMY — 
SOLDIERS'  STORIES. 

SUNDAY,  the  17th — the  memorable  seventeenth  of 
May — as  we  were  dressing  for  church,  and  had 
nearly  completed  the  arrangement  of  shawls  and 
gloves,  we  heard  the  loud  booming  of  cannon. 
Frightened,  for  at  this  time  we  knew  not  what 
u  an  hour  would  bring  forth,"  seeing  no  one  who 
might  account  for  the  sudden  alarm,  we  walked 
down  the  street,  hoping  to  find  some  friend  that 
could  tell  us  if  it  were  dangerous  to  remain  away 
from  home  at  church.  I  feared  leaving  my  little 
one  for  any  length  of  time,  if  there  were  any  pros 
pect  of  an  engagement.  After  walking  a  square 
or  two,  we  met  an  officer,  who  told  us  the  report 
we  heard  proceeded  from  our  own  guns,  which 
were  firing  upon  a  party  of  soldiers,  who  were 
burning  some  houses  on  the  peninsula  on  the 
Louisiana  shore ;  he  told  us,  also,  it  had  been  ru 
mored  that  General  Pemberton  had  been  repulsed 

4 


MY   CAVE   LITE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  41 

— that  many  citizens  had  gone  out  to  attend  to 
the  wounded  of  yesterday's  battle — all  the  minis 
ters  and  surgeons  that  could  leave  had  also  gone. 
Still,  as  the  bell  of  the  Methodist  church  rang  out 
clear  and  loud,  my  friend  and  I  decided  to  enter, 
and  were  glad  that  we  did  so,  for  we  heard  words 
of  cheer  and  comfort  in  this  time  of  trouble.  The 
speaker  was  a  traveller,  who  supplied  the  pulpit 
this  day,  as  the  pastor  was  absent  ministering  'to 
the  wounded  and  dying  on  the  battle  field.  This 
was  a  plain  man,  of  simple,  fervent  words,  but  with 
so  much  of  heart  in  all  his  exercises,  that  we  felt, 
after  the  last  hymn  had  been  sung,  the  last  prayer 
said,  that  we  had  been  in  a  purer  atmosphere. 
After  the  blessing,  he  requested  the  ladies  to  meet 
and  make  arrangements  for  lint  and  bandages  for 
the  wounded.  As  we  returned  home,  we  passed 
groups  of  anxious  men  at  the  corners,  with  troubled 
faces  ;  very  few  soldiers  were  seen  ;  some  battery 
men  and  officers,  needed  for  the  river  defences, 
were  passing  hastily  up  the  street.  Yet,  in  all  the 
pleasant  air  and  sunshine  of  the  day,  an  anxious 
gloom  seemed  to  hang  over  the  faces  of  men :  a 
sorrowful  waiting  for  tidings,  that  all  knew  now, 
would  tell  of  disaster.  There  seemed  no  life  in 


4:2  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJRG. 

the  city  ;  sullen  and  expectant  seemed  the  men — 
tearful  and  hopeful  the  women — prayerful  and 
hopeful,  I  might  add ;  for,  many  a  mother,  groan 
ing  in  spirit  over  the  uncertainty  of  the  welfare 
of  those  most  dear  to  her,  knelt  and  laid  her  sor 
rows  at  the  foot  of  that  Throne,  where  no  earnest 
suppliant  is  ever  rejected ;  where  the  sorrow  of 
many  a  broken  heart  has  been  turned  in  resigna 
tion  to  His  will  who  afflicts  not  willingly  the 
children  of  men.  And  so,  in  all  the  dejected  un 
certainty,  the  stir  of  horsemen  and  wheels  began, 
and  wagons  came  rattling  down  the  street — going 
rapidly  one  way,  and  then  returning,  seemingly, 
without  aim  or  purpose :  now  and  then  a  worn 
and  dusty  soldier  would  be  seen  passing  with  his 
blanket  and  canteen ;  soon,  straggler  after  strag 
gler  came  by,  then  groups  of  soldiers  worn  and 
dusty  with  the  long  march.  "  What  can  be  the 
matter  ? "  we  all  cried,  as  the  streets  and  pave 
ments  became  full  of  these  worn  and  tired-look 
ing  men.  We  sent  down  to  ask,  and  the  reply 
was :  "  We  are  whipped ;  and  the  Federals  are 
after  us."  We  hastily  seized  veils  and  bonnets, 
and  walked  down  the  avenue  to  the  iron  railing 
that  separates  the  yard  from  the  street. 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJKG.  43 

"  Where  are  your  going  ?  "  we  asked. 

~No  one  seemed  disposed  to  answer  the  ques 
tion.  An  embarrassed,  pained  look  came  over 
some  of  the  faces  that  were  raised  to  us ;  others 
seemed  only  to  feel  the  weariness  of  the  long 
march  ;  again  we  asked  : 

"  Where  on  earth  are  you  going  ?  " 

At  last  one  man  looked  up  in  a  half-surly  man 
ner,  and  answered  : 

"  We  are  running." 

"  From  whom  ?  "  exclaimed  one  of  the  young 
girls  of  the  house. 

"  The  Feds,  to  be  sure,"  said  another,  half 
laughing  and  half  shamefaced. 

"  Oh  !  shame  on  you  !  "  cried  the  ladies  ;  "  and 
you  running  !  " 

"  It's  all  Pern's  fault,"  said  an  awkward,  long- 
limbed,  weary-looking  man. 

"  It's  all  your  own  fault.  Why  don't  you 
stand  your  ground  ?  "  was  the  reply. 

"  Shame  on  you  all !  "  cried  some  of  the  ladies 
across  the  street,  becoming  excited. 

I  could  not  but  feel  sorry  for  the  poor  worn 
fellows,  who  did  seem  indeed  heartily  ashamed 
of  themselves ;  some  without  arms,  having  prob- 


4:4  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

ably  lost  them  in  the  first  break  of  the  compa 
nies. 

"  We  are  disappointed  in  you !  "  cried  some 
of  the  ladies.  "  Wlio  shall  we  look  to  now  for 
protection  ? " 

"  Oh  !  "  said  one  of  them,  "  it's  the  first  time 
I  ever  ran.  We  are  Georgians,  and  we  never  ran 
before ;  but  we  saw  them  all  breaking  and  run 
ning,  and  we  could  not  bear  up  alone." 

We  asked  them  if  they  did  not  want  water ; 
and  some  of  them  came  in  the  yard  to  get  it. 
The  lady  of  the  house  offered  them  some  supper ; 
and  while  they  were  eating,  we  were  so  much  in 
terested,  that  we  stood  around  questioning  them 
about  the  result  of  the  day.  "It  is  all  General 
Pemberton's  fault,"  said  a  sergeant.  "  I'm  a  Mis- 
sourian,  and  our  boys  stood  it  almost  alone,  not 
knowing  what  was  wanted  to  be  done ;  yet,  fight 
ing  as  long  as  possible,  every  one  leaving  us,  and 
we  were  obliged  to  fall  back.  You  know,  madam, 
we  Missourians  always  fight  well,  even  if  we  have 
to  retreat  afterward." 

"  Oh  !  "  spoke  up  an  old  man,  "  we  would  ha' 
fit  well ;  but  General  Pemberton  came  up  and 
said :  <  Stand  your  ground,  boys.  Your  General 


MY  CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  45 

Pemberton  is  with  you ; '  and  then,  bless  you, 
lady  !  the  next  we  see'd  of  him,  he  was  sitting  on 
his  horse  behind  a  house — close,  too,  at  that ;  and 
when  we  see'd  that,  we  thought  'tain't  no  use,  if 
he's  going  to  sit  there." 

We  could  not  help  laughing  at  the  old  man's 
tale  and  his  anger.  Afterward  we  were  told  that 
General  Pemberton  behaved  with  courage — that 
the  fault  lay  in  the  arrangement  of  troops. 

And  where  these  weary  and  wornout  men 
were  going,  we  could  not  tell.  1  think  they  did 
not  know  themselves. 


CHAPTEK  VIII. 

FRESH   TROOPS   FROM  WARRENTON   FOR  THE   INTRENCHMENTS — "  WE'LL 
PROTECT   YOU" — FEARS. 

AT  dark  the  fresh  troops  from  Warrenton  march 
ed  by,  going  out  to  the  intrenchments  in  the  rear 
of  the  city  about  two  miles ;  many  of  the  officers 
were  fearful  that  the  fortifications,  being  so  incom 
plete,  would  be  taken,  if  the  Federal  troops  push 
ed  immediately  on,  following  their  advantage. 

As  the  troops  from  Warrenton  passed  by,  the 
ladies  waved  their  handkerchiefs,  cheering  them, 
and  crying : 

"  These  are  the  troops  that  have  not  run. 
You'll  stand  by  us,  and  protect  us,  won't  you? 
You  won't  retreat  and  bring  the  Federals  behind 
you." 

And  the  men,  who  were  fresh  and  lively, 
swung  their  hats,  and  promised  to  die  for  the 
ladies — never  to  run — never  to  retreat ;  while  the 
poor  fellows  on  the  pavement,  sitting  on  their 


MY   CAVE    LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJKG.  4:7 

blankets— lying  on  the  ground — leaning  against 
trees,  or  anything  to  rest  their  wearied  bodies, 
looked  on  silent  and  dejected.  They  were  not  to 
blame,  these  poor,  weary  fellows.  If  they  were 
unsuccessful,  it  is  what  many  a  man  has  been  be 
fore  them  ;  and  then,  endurance  of  the  long  fasts 
in  the  rifle  pits,  and  coolness  amid  the  showers  of 
ball  and  shell  thrown  at  devoted  Vicksburg  after 
ward,  show  us  that  men,  though  unfortunate,  can 
retrieve  their  character. 

"  There  has  been  many  a  life  lost  to-day,"  said 
a  soldier  to  me — u  many  an  officer  and  man." 

"  Ah  !  truly,  yes,"  I  said  ;  for  the  ambulances 
had  been  passing  with  wounded  and  dead ;  and 
one  came  slowly  by  with  officers  riding  near  it, 
bearing  the  dead  body  of  General  Tilghman,  the 
blood  dripping  slowly  from  it.  We  were  told, 
also,  of  a  friend  who  had  been  mortally  wounded. 

What  a  sad  evening  we  spent — continually 
hearing  of  friends  and  acquaintances  left  dead  on 
the  field,  or  mortally  wounded,  and  being  brought 
in  ambulances  to  the  hospital !  "We  almost  fear 
ed  to  retire  that  night ;  no  one  seemed  to  know 
whether  the  Federal  army  was  advancing  or  not ; 
some  told  us  that  they  were  many  miles  away, 


48  MY   CAVE    LIFE   IN    VICKSBUKG. 

and  others  that  they  were  quite  near.  How  did 
we  know  but  in  the  night  we  might  be  awakened 
by  the  tumult  of  their  arrival ! 

The  streets  were  becoming  quiet ;  the  noise 
and  bustle  had  died  out  with  the  excitement  of 
the  day,  and,  save  now  and  then  the  rapid  passing 
of  some  officer,  or  army  wagon,  they  were  almost 
deserted.  And  what  will  the  morrow  bring  forth  ? 
I  thought,  as  I  leaned  from  the  balcony  of  my 
room ;  will  these  streets  echo  to  the  tread  of  the 
victorious  army?  I  shrank  from  the  thought. 
Without  protectors,  what  might  be  our  fate  ? — to 
be  turned  from  our  homes,  perhaps,  widows  and 
orphans.  But  the  heavens  above  so  calm — so 
smooth  and  soothing — the  quiet  glide  of  the  silent 
river — and  the  wind  swaying  the  trees  with  a  mo 
notonous  wave — quelled  and  laid  these  thoughts 
of  evil ;  and  the  blessed  trust  and  faith  in  Him 
who  is  all  powerful  came  with  renewed  balm  to 
my  anxious  heart. 


CHAPTEK  IX. 

THE   BALL  IN   MOTION — VIEW  FROM  THE  COURT  HOUSE — FEDERAL  PRIS 
ONERS  SENT  ACROSS   THE   RIVER — MOVEMENTS  OF  GUNBOAT. 

THE  next  morning  all  was  quiet ;  we  heard  no 
startling  rumors  ;  the  soldiers  were  being  gathered 
together  and  taken  out  into  the  rifle  pits  ;  Yicks- 
burg  was  regularly  besieged,  and  we  were  to  stay 
at  our  homes  and  watch  the  progress  of  the  battle. 
The  rifle  pits  and  intrenchments  were  almost  two 
miles  from  the  city.  We  would  be  out  of  danger, 
so  we  thought ;  but  we  did  not  know  what  was  in 
preparation  for  us  around  the  bend  of  the  river. 
The  day  wore  on ;  still  all  was  quiet.  At  night 
our  hopes  revived :  the  Federal  troops  had  not  yet 
come  up — another  calm  night  and  morning.  At 
three  o'clock  that  evening,  the  artillery  boomed 
from  the  intrenchments,  roar  after  roar,  followed 
by  the  rattle  of  musketry  :  the  Federal  forces  were 
making  their  first  attack,  Looking  out  from  the 
back  veranda,  we  eould  plainly  see  the  smoke  be- 
3 


50  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBURG. 

fore  the  report  of  the  guns  reached  us.  Our  anx 
iety  was  great,  indeed,  having  been  told  by  gen 
tlemen  the  night  before,  that  the  works  in  the 
rear  of  Yicksburg  were  anything  but  of  a  superior 
kind. 

The  discharges  of  musketry  were  irregular. 
Yet,  to  us  who  were  thinking  of  the  dear  ones 
exposed  to  this  frequent  firing,  the  restless  fore 
bodings  and  unhappiness  caused  by  the  distant 
din  of  battle  pained  us  indeed.  After  listening 
for  some  time  to  the  reports,  which  sounded  to 
us,  in  the  distance,  like  the  quick,  successive  drop 
pings  of  balls  on  sheet  iron,  again  and  again  sound 
ed  the  cannon  like  thunderings  near  us.  At  every 
report  our  hearts  beat  quicker.  The  excitement 
was  intense  in  the  city.  Groups  of  people  stood 
on  every  available  position  where  a  view  could  be 
obtained  of  the  distant  hills,  where  the  jets  of 
white  smoke  constantly  passed  out  from  among 
the  trees. 

Some  of  our  friends  proposed  go'ing  for  a  bet 
ter  view  up  on  the  balcony  around  the  cupola  of 
the  court  house.  The  view  from  there  was  most 
extensive  and  beautiful.  Hill  after  hill  arose  in 
the  distance,  enclosing  the  city  in  the  form  of  a 


MY    CAVE    LIFE    IN   VICKSBURG.  51 

crescent.  Immediately  in  the  centre  and  east  of 
the  river,  the  firing  seemed  more  continuous, 
while  to  the  left  and  running  northly,  the  rattle 
and  roar  would  be  sudden,  sharp,  and  vigorous, 
then  ceasing  for  some  time.  The  hills  around 
near  the  city,  and  indeed  every  place  that  seem 
ed  commanding  and  secure,  was  covered  with 
anxious  spectators — many  of  them  ladies — fearing 
the  result  of  the  afternoon's  conflict.  To  the  ex 
treme  left  and  north,  near  the  river,  the  warfare 
became  general,  while  toward  the  centre  the  firing 
became  less  rapid. 

What  a  beautiful  landscape  lay  out  before  us  ! 
Far  in  the  distance  lay  the  cultivated  hills — some 
already  yellow  with  grain,  while  on  other  hills 
and  in  the  valleys  the  deep  green  of  the  trees 
formed  the  shadows  in  the  fair  landscape. 

It  was  amid  the  clump  of  trees  on  the  far  dis 
tant  hillside,  that  the  Federal  batteries  could  be 
discerned  by  the  frequent  puffings  of  smoke  from 
the  guns.  Turning  to  the  river,  we  could  see  a 
gunboat  that  had  the  temerity  to  come  down  as 
near  the  town  as  possible,  and  lay  just  out  of 
reach  of  the  Confederate  batteries,  with  steam  up. 

Two  more  lay  about  half  a  mile  above  and 


52  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

nearer  the  canal ;  two  or  three  transports  had 
gotten  up  steam,  and  lay  near  the  mouth  of  the 
canal.  Below  the  city  a  gunboat  had  come  up 
and  landed,  out  of  reach,  on  the  Louisiana  side, 
striving  to  engage  the  lower  batteries  of  the  town 
— firing  about  every  fifteen  minutes.  "While  we 
were  looking  at  the  river,  we  saw  two  large  yawls 
start  out  from  shore,  with  two  larger  boats  tied  to 
them,  and  full  of  men. 

"We  learned  that  they  were  the  Federal  pris 
oners  that  had  been  held  in  the  town,  and  to-day 
paroled  and  sent  over  to  the  Federal  encampment, 
so  that  the  resources  of  the  garrison  might  be  hus 
banded  as  much  as  possible,  and  the  necessity  of 
sustaining  them  avoided. 

The  idea  made  me  serious.  We  might  look 
forward  truly  now  to  perhaps  real  suffering. 

Yet,  I  did  not  regret  my  resolution  to  remain, 
and  would  have  left  the  town  more  relunctantly 
to-day  than  ever  before,  for  we  felt  that  now,  in 
deed,  the  whole  country  was  unsafe,  and  that  our 
only  hope  of  safety  lay  in  Vicksburg. 

The  little  boats,  with  their  prisoners,  had  gain 
ed  the  opposite  shore ;  and  we  could  see  the  lib 
erated  men  walking  along  the  river  bank ;  we 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  53 

could  see,  also,  the  little  steamtug  coming  down, 
and  stopping  at  the  gunboat  near  the  city ;  it, 
also,  visited  the  transports  and  the  gunboats  near 
the  canal,  and  then,  leaving,  steamed  with  much 
swiftness  up  the  river  toward  the  mouth  of  the 
Yazoo. 

In  looking  again  with  a  glass  in  the  rear  of 
the  city,  we  could  see  the  Southern  soldiers  work 
ing  at  their  guns,  and  walking  in  the  rear  of  a 
fort  on  a  hill  nearer  by.  The  Federal  troops  were 
too  distant  to  discern. 

Some  ambulances  were  coming  into  the  city, 
probably  bringing  the  wounded  from  the  field. 

We  saw  an  officer  coming  in  with  his  head 
bound  up  and  his  arm  in  a  sling,  his  servant  walk 
ing  by  his  side  leading  his  horse.  Aside  from  the 
earnest  group  of  spectators  moving  from  one  place 
to  another,  the  town  seemed  perfectly  quiet. 

Looking  again  toward  the  river,  the  gunboat 
near  the  lower  batteries  kept  its  old  position, 
slowly  firing  at  the  lower  part  of  the  city ;  and 
far  over  on  the  other  shore,  walking  rapidly,  I 
observed  the  figures  of  the  freed  prisoners  near 
the  canal,  and  fast  becoming  indistinct,  even  with 
the  aid  of  a  glass. 


54  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

So  twilight  began  falling  over  the  scene — hush 
ing  to  an  occasional  report  the  noise  and  uproar 
of  the  battle  field — falling  softly  and  silently  upon 
the  river — separating  us  more  and  more  from  the 
raging  passions  surging  around  us — bringing  only 
the  heaven  above  us,  and  the  small  space  of  life 
we  occupy,  distinctly  to  our  eyes. 


CHAPTEK  X. 

GROUNDLESS  FEAR  OF  AN  ATTACK  BY  GUNBOATS — SHELLS  FALL — THE 

BOMBARDMENT  BEGINS — GATE  SHELTER — GARRISON  FORCE CAVES 

AND  CAVE  LIFE. 

FKOM  gentlemen  who  called  on  the  evening  of  the 
attack  in  the  rear  of  the  town,  we  learned  that  it 
was  quite  likely,  judging  from  the  movements  on 
the  river,  that  the  gunboats  would  make  an  at 
tack  that  night.  "We  remained  dressed  during 
the  night ;  once  or  twice  we  sprang  to  our  feet, 
startled  by  the  report  of  a  cannon ;  but  after 
waiting  in  the  darkness  of  the  veranda  for  some 
time,  the  perfect  quiet  of  the  city  convinced  us 
that  our  alarm  was  needless. 

Next  day,  two  or  three  shells  were  thrown  from 
the  battle  field,  exploding  near  the  house.  This 
was  our  first  shock,  and  a  severe  one.  "We  did  not 
dare  to  go  in  the  back  part  of  the  house  all  day. 

Some  of  the  servants  came  and  got  down  by  us 
for  protection,  while  others  kept  on  with  their  work 
as  if  feeling  a  perfect  contempt  for  the  shells. 


56  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

In  the  evening  we  were  terrified  and  much 
excited  by  the  loud  rush  and  scream  of  mortar 
shells ;  we  ran  to  the  small  cave  near  the  house, 
and  were  in  it  during  the  night,  by  this  time 
wearied  and  almost  stupefied  by  the  loss  of  sleep. 

The  caves  were  plainly  becoming  a  necessity, 
as  some  persons  had  been  killed  on  the  street  by 
fragments  of  shells.  The  room  that  I  had  so  lately 
slept  in  had  been  struck  by  a  fragment  of  a  shell 
during  the  first  night,  and  a  large  hole  made  in 
the  ceiling.  I  shall  never  forget  my  extreme  fear 
during  the  night,  and  my  utter  hopelessness  of 
ever  seeing  the  morning  light.  Terror  stricken, 
we  remained  crouched  in  the  cave,  while  shell 
after  shell  followed  each  other  in  quick  succes 
sion.  I  endeavored  by  constant  prayer  to  pre 
pare  myself  for  the  sudden  death  I  was  almost 
certain  awaited  me.  My  heart  stood  still  as  we 
would  hear  the  reports  from  the  guns,  and  the 
rushing  and  fearful  sound  of  the  shell  as  it  came 
toward  us.  As  it  neared,  the  noise  became  more 
deafening  ;  the  air  was  full  of  the  rushing  sound  ; 
pains  darted  through  my  temples ;  my  ears  were 
full  of  the  confusing  noise ;  and,  as  it  exploded, 
the  report  flashed  through  my  head  like  an  elec- 


MY    CAVE   LIFE   IN    VICKSBUftG.  57 

trie  shock,  leaving  me  in  a  quiet  state  of  terror 
the  most  painful  that  I  can  imagine — cowering 
in  a  corner,  holding  my  child  to  my  heart — the 
only  feeling  of  my  life  being  the  choking  throbs 
of  my  heart,  that  rendered  me  almost  breathless. 
As  singly  they  fell  short,  or  beyond  the  cave,  I 
was  aroused  by  a  feeling  of  thankfulness  that  was 
of  short  duration.  Again  and  again  the  terrible 
fright  came  over  us  in  that  night. 

I  saw  one  fall  in  the  road  without  the  mouth 
of  the  cave,  like  a  flame  of  fire,  making  the  earth 
tremble,  and,  with  a  low,  singing  sound,  the  frag 
ments  sped  on  in  their  work  of  death. 

Morning  found  us  more  dead  than  alive,  with 
blanched  faces  and  trembling  lips.  "We  were  not 
reassured  on  hearing,  from  a  man  who  took  ref 
uge  in  the  cave,  that  a  mortar  shell  in  falling 
would  not  consider  the  thickness  of  earth  above 
us  a  circumstance. 

Some  of  the  ladies,  more  courageous  by  day 
light,  asked  him  what  he  was  in  there  for,  if  that 
was  the  case.  He  was  silenced  for  an  hour,  when 
he  left.  As  the  day  wore  on,  and  we  were  still 
preserved,  though  the  shells  came  as  ever,  we  were 
somewhat  encouraged. 
3* 


58  MY   CAVE   LIFE   EST   VICKSBTJRG. 

The  next  morning  we  heard  that  Yicksburg 
would  not  in  all  probability  hold  out  more  than 
a  week  or  two,  as  the  garrison  was  poorly  provi 
sioned  ;  and  one  of  General  Pemberton's  staff 
officers  told  us  that  the  effective  force  of  the  gar 
rison,  upon  being  estimated,  was  found  to  be 
fifteen  thousand  men ;  General  Loring  having 
been  cut  off  after  the  battle  of  Black  Eiver,  with 
probably  ten  thousand. 

The  ladies  all  cried,  "  Oh,  never  surrender  !  " 
but  after  the  experience  of  the  night,  I  really 
could  not  tell  what  I  wanted,  or  what  my  opinions 
were. 

How  often  I  thought  of  M upon  the  battle 

field,  and  his  anxiety  for  us  in  the  midst  of  this  un 
anticipated  danger,  wherein  the  safety  lay  entirely 
on  the  side  of  the  belligerent  gentlemen,  who 
were  shelling  us  so  furiously,  at  least  two  miles 
from  the  city,  in  the  bend  of  the  river  near  the 
canal. 

So  constantly  dropped  the  shells  around  the 
city,  that  the  inhabitants  all  made  preparations  to 

live  under  the  ground  during  the  siege.     M 

sent  over  and  had  a  cave  made  in  a  hill  near  by. 
We  seized  the  opportunity  one  evening,  when  the 


MY  CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBUKG. 


59 


60  MY   GATE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG. 

gunners  were  probably  at  their  supper,  for  we  had 
a  few  moments  of  quiet,  to  go  over  and  take  pos 
session.  We  were  under  the  care  of  a  friend  of 

M ,  who  was  paymaster  on  the  staff  of  the 

same  General  with  whom  M was  Adjutant. 

We  had  neighbors  on  both  sides  of  us ;  and  it 
would  have  been  an  amusing  sight  to  a  spectator 
to  witness  the  domestic  scenes  presented  without 
by  the  number  of  servants  preparing  the  meals 
under  the  high  bank  containing  the  caves. 

Our  dining,  breakfasting,  and  supper  hours 
were  quite  irregular.  When  the  shells  were  fall 
ing  fast,  the  servants  came  in  for  safety,  and  our 
meals  waited  for  completion  some  little  time ; 
again  they  would  fall  slowly,  with  the  lapse  of 
many  minutes  between,  and  out  would  start  the 
cooks  to  their  work. 

Some  families  had  light  bread  made  in  large 
quantities,  and  subsisted  on  it  with  milk  (provided 
their  cows  were  not  killed  from  one  milking  time 
to  another),  without  any  more  cooking,  until  call 
ed  on  to  replenish.  Though  most  of  us  lived  on 
corn  bread  and  bacon,  served  three  times  a  day, 
the  only  luxury  of  the  meal  consisting  in  its 
warmth,  I  had  some  flour,  and  frequently  had 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN    VICKSBUEG.  61 

some  hard,  tough  biscuit  made  from  it,  there  be 
ing  no  soda  or  yeast  to  be  procured.  At  this  time 
we  could,  also,  procure  beef.  A  gentleman  friend 
was  kind  enough  to  offer  me  his  camp  bed,  a  nar 
row  spring  mattress,  which  fitted  within  the  con 
tracted  cave  very  comfortably ;  another  had  his 
tent  fly  stretched  over  the  mouth  of  our  residence 
to  shield  us  from  the  sun  ;  and  thus  I  was  the  re 
cipient  of  many  favors,  and  under  obligations  to 
many  gentlemen  of  the  army  for  delicate  and  kind 
attentions ;  and,  in  looking  back  to  my  trials  at 
that  time,  I  shall  ever  remember  with  gratitude 
the  kindness  with  which  they  strove  to  ward  off 
every  deprivation.  And  so  I  went  regularly  to 
work,  keeping  house  under  ground.  Our  new 
habitation  was  an  excavation  made  in  the  earth, 
and  branching  six  feet  from  the  entrance,  forming 
a  cave  in  the  shape  of  a  T.  In  one  of  the  wings 
my  bed  fitted ;  the  other  I  used  as  a  kind  of  a 
dressing  room ;  in  this  the  earth  had  been  cut 
down  a  foot  or  two  below  the  floor  of  the  main 
cave ;  I  could  stand  erect  here ;  and  when  tired 
of  sitting  in  other  portions  of  my  residence,  I 
bowed  myself  into  it,  and  stood  impassively  rest 
ing  at  full  height — one  of  the  variations  in  the  still 


62  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICK8BURG. 

shell-expectant  life.     M 's  servant  cooked  for 

us  under  protection  of  the  hill.  Our  quarters  were 
close,  indeed ;  yet  I  was  more  comfortable  than  I 
expected  I  could  have  been  made  under  the  earth 
in  that  fashion. 

"We  were  safe  at  least  from  fragments  of  shell 
— and  they  were  flying  in  all  directions ;  though 
no  one  seemed  to  think  our  cave  any  protection, 
should  a  mortar  shell  happen  to  fall  directly  on 
top  of  the  ground  above  us.  We  had  our  roof 
arched  and  braced,  the  supports  of  the  bracing 
taking  up  much  room  in  our  confined  quarters. 
The  earth  was  about  five  feet  thick  above,  and 

seemed   hard    and   compact ;   yet,   poor   M , 

every  time  he  came  in,  examined  it,  fearing,  amid 
some  of  the  shocks  it  sustained,  that  it  might 
crack  and  fall  upon  us. 


CHAPTEE  XL 

BURIED  ALIYE — HOUSE   BREAKING APPEARANCE   OP   SHELL   AT  NIGHT 

— UNDER  THE   ROOT   OP   A   FIG   TREE. 

ONE  afternoon,  amid  the  rush  and  explosion  of 
the  shells,  cries  and  screams  arose — the  screams  of 
women  amid  the  shrieks  of  the  falling  shells.  The 
servant  boy,  George,  after  starting  and  coming 
back  once  or  twice,  his  timidity  overcoming  his 
curiosity  (I  was  not  at  all  surprised  at  it),  at  last 
gathered  courage  to  go  to  the  ravine  near  us,  from 
whence  the  cries  proceeded,  and  found  that  a 
negro  man  had  been  buried  alive  within  a  cave, 
he  being  alone  at  that  time.  "Workmen  were  in 
stantly  set  to  deliver  him,  if  possible ;  but  when 
found,  the  unfortunate  man  had  evidently  been 
dead  some  little  time.  His  wife  and  relations 
were  distressed  beyond  measure,  and  filled  the  air 
with  their  cries  and  groans. 

This  incident  made  me  doubly  doubtful  of  my 
cave ;  I  feared  that  I  might  be  buried  alive  at 
any  time.  Another  incident  happened  the  same 


64  MY   CAVE   LIFE    IN   VICKSBUKG. 

day  :  A  gentleman,  resident  -of  Yicksburg,  had  a 
large  cave  made,  and  repeatedly  urged  his  wife  to 
leave  the  house  and  go  into  it.  She  steadily  re-, 
fused,  and,  being  quite  an  invalid,  was  lying  on 
the  bed,  when  he  took  her  by  the  hand  and  insist 
ed  upon  her  accompanying  him  so  strongly,  that 
she  yielded  ;  and  they  had  scarcely  left  the  house, 
when  a  mortar  shell  went  crashing  through,  ut 
terly  demolishing  the  bed  that  had  so  lately  been 
vacated,  tearing  up  the  floor,  and  almost  com 
pletely  destroying  the  room. 

That  night,  after  my  little  one  had  been  laid 
in  bed,  I  sat  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  with  the 
servants  drawn  around  me,  watching  the  bril 
liant  display  of  fireworks  the  mortar  boats  were 
making — the  passage  of  the  shell,  as  it  travelled 
through  the  heavens,  looking  like  a  swiftly  moving 
star.  As  it  fell,  it  approached  the  earth  so  rap 
idly,  that  it  seemed  to  leave  behind  a  track  of  fire. 

This  night  we  kept  our  seats,  as  they  all  passed 
rapidly  over  us,  none  falling  near.  The  incendiary 
shells  were  still  more  beautiful  in  appearance.  As 
they  exploded  in  the  air,  the  burning  matter  and 
balls  fell  like  large,  clear  blue-and-amber  stars, 
scattering  hither  and  thither. 


MY   CAVE    LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  65 

vb 

"  Miss  M ,"  said  one  of  the  more  timid 

servants,  "  do  they  want  to  kill  us  all  dead  3  Will 
they  keep  doing  this  until  we  all  die  ?  " 

I  said  most  heartily,  a  I  hope  not." 

The  servants  we  had  with  us  seemed  to  possess 
more  courage  than  is  usually  attributed  to  negroes. 
They  seldom  hesitated  to  cross  the  street  for  water 
at  any  time.  The  "  boy  "  slept  at  the  entrance  of 
the  cave,  with  a  pistol  I  had  given  him,  telling  me 
I  need  not  be  "  afeared — dat  any  one  dat  come  dar 
would  have  to  go  over  his  body  first." 

He  never  refused  to  carry  out  any  little  article 

to  M on  the  battle  field.  I  laughed  heartily 

at  a  dilemma  he  was  placed  in  one  day  :  The  mule 
that  he  had  mounted  to  ride  out  to  the  battle  field 
took  him  to  a  dangerous  locality,  where  the  shells 
were  flying  thickly,  and  then,  suddenly  stopping, 
through  fright,  obstinately  refused  to  stir.  It  was 
in  vain  that  George  kicked  and  beat  him — go  he 
would  not ;  so,  clenching  his  hand,  he  hit  him 
severely  in  the  head  several  times,  jumped  down, 
ran  home,  and  left  him.  The  mule  stood  a  few 
minutes  rigidly,  then,  looking  round,  and  seeing 
George  at  some  distance  from  him,  turned  and 
followed,  quite  demurely. 


66  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   YICK8BTTKG. 

Each  day,  as  the  couriers  came  into  the  city, 
M  -  would  write  me  little  notes,  asking  after 


our  welfare,  and  telling  me  of  the  progress  of  the 
siege.  1,  in  return,  would  write  to  him  of  our 
safety,  but  was  always  careful  in  speaking  of  the 
danger  to  which  we  were  exposed.  I  thought 
poor  M  -  had  enough  to  try  him,  without  suf 
fering  anxiety  for  us  ;  so  I  made  light  of  my  fears, 
which  were  in  reality  wearing  off  rapidly.  Every 
week  he  came  in  to  make  inquiries  in  person.  In 
his  letters  he  charged  me  particularly  to  be  care 
ful  of  the  provisions  —  that  no  one  could  tell  what 
our  necessities  might  be. 

In  one  of  his  letters,  he  says  :  "  Already  I  am 
living  on  pea  meal,  and  cannot  think  of  your 
coming  to  this."  One  thing  I  had  learned  quite 
lately  in  my  cave  was  to  make  good  bread  :  one 
of  my  cave  neighbors  had  given  me  yeast  and  in 
structions.  I,  in  turn,  had  instructed  a  servant, 
so  that  when  we  used  the  flour  it  could  be  pre 
sented  in  a  more  inviting  form. 

One  morning,  after  breakfast,  the  shells  began 
falling  so  thickly  around  us,  that  they  seemed  aim 
ed  at  the  particular  spot  on  which  our  cave  was 
located.  Two  or  three  fell  immediately  in  the 


MY   CAVE   LIFE    IN   VICKSBURG.  67 

rear  of  it,  exploding  a  few  moments  before  reach 
ing  the  ground,  and  the  fragments  went  singing 
over  the  top  of  our  habitation.  I,  at  length,  be 
came  so  much  alarmed — as  the  cave  trembled  ex 
cessively — for  our  safety,  that  I  determined,  rather 
than  be  buried  alive,  to  stand  out  from  under  the 
earth ;  so,  taking  my  child  in  my  arms,  and  call 
ing  the  servants,  we  ran  to  a  refuge  near  the  roots 
of  a  large  fig  tree,  that  branched  out  over  the 
bank,  and  served  as  a  protection  from  the  frag 
ments  of  shells.  As  we  stood  trembling  there — 
for  the  shells  were  falling  all  around  us — some  of 
my  gentlemen  friends  came  up  to  reassure  me, 
telling  me  that  the  tree  would  protect  us,  and 
that  the  range  would  probably  be  changed  in  a 
short  time.  "While  they  spoke,  a  shell,  that  seem 
ed  to  be  of  enormous  size,  fell,  screaming  and  hiss 
ing,  immediately  before  the  mouth  of  our  cave, 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  entrance,  sending  up  a 
huge  column  of  smoke  and  earth,  and  jarring  the 
ground  most  sensibly  where  we  stood.  What 
seemed  very  strange,  the  earth  closed  in  around 
the  shell,  and  left  only  the  newly  upturned  soil  to 
show  where  it  had  fallen. 

Long  it  was  before  the  range  was  changed,  and 


68  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBUKG. 

the  frightful  missiles  fell  beyond  us — long  before 
I  could  resolve  to  return  to  our  sadly  threatened 
home. 

I  found  on  my  return  that  the  walls  were  seam 
ed  here  and  there  with  cracks,  but  the  earth  had 
remained  firm  above  us.  I  took  possession  again, 
with  resignation,  yet  in  fear  and  trembling. 


CHAPTEK  XII. 

FIRE  AT   NIGHT — A  NARROW  ESCAPE — MOONLIGHT — SHELLS   PROM   THE 
BATTLE    FIELD — EMPLOYMENT    AND   TRAFFIC. 

MY  past  resolution  having  forsaken  me,  again 
were  the  mortar  shells  heard  with  extreme  terror, 
and  I  was  many  days  recovering  the  equanimity 
I  had  been  so  long  attaining.  This  night,  as  a 
few  nights  before,  a  large  fire  raged  in  the  town. 
I  was  told  that  a  large  storehouse,  filled  with  com 
missary  stores,  was  burning,  casting  lurid  lights 
over  the  devoted  city ;  and  amid  all,  fell — with 
screams  and  violent  explosions,  flinging  the  fatal 
fragments  in  all  directions — our  old  and  relent 
less  enemies,  the  mortar  shells. 

The  night  was  so  warm,  and  the  cave  so  close, 
that  I  tried  to  sit  out  at  the  entrance,  George  say 
ing  he  would  keep  watch  and  tell  when  they  were 
falling  toward  us.  Soon  the  report  of  the  gun 
would  be  heard,  and  George,  standing  on  the  hil 
lock  of  loose  earth,  near  the  cave,  looked  intently 
upward ;  while  I,  with  suspended  breath,  would 


YO  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG. 

listen  anxiously  as  lie  cried,  "  Here  she  comes ! 
going  over ! "  then  again,  "  Coming — falling — fall 
ing  right  dis  way !  "  Then  I  would  spring  to  my 
feet,  and  for  a  moment  hesitate  about  the  protec 
tion  of  the  cave.  Suddenly,  as  the  rushing  de 
scent  was  heard,  I  would  beat  a  precipitate  re 
treat  into  it,  followed  by  the  servants. 

That  night  I  could  scarcely  sleep,  the  explo 
sions  were  so  loud  and  frequent.  Before  we  re 
tired,  George  had  been  lying  without  the  door.  I 
had  arisen  about  twelve  o'clock,  and  stood  looking 
out  at  the  different  courses  of  light  marking  the 
passage  of  the  shells,  when  I  noticed  that  George 
was  not  in  his  usual  place  at  the  entrance.  On 
looking  out,  I  saw  that  he  was  sleeping  soundly, 
some  little  distance  off,  and  many  fragments  of 
shell  falling  near  him.  I  aroused  him,  telling  him 
to  come  to  the  entrance  for  safety.  He  had  scarcely 
started,  when  a  huge  piece  of  shell  came  whizzing 
along,  which  fortunately  George  dodged  in  time, 
and  it  fell  in  the  very  spot  where  he  had  so  lately 
slept. 

Fearing  to  retire,  I  sat  in  the  moonlight  at 
the  entrance,  the  square  of  light  that  lay  in  the 
doorway  causing  our  little  bed,  with  the  sleeping 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  71 

child,  to  be  set  out  in  relief  against  the  dark  wall 
of  the  cave — causing  the  little  mirror  and  a  picture 
or  two  I  had  hung  against  the  wall  to  show  mis 
shapen  lengths  of  shadows — tinting  the  crimson 
shawl  that  draped  the  entrance  of  my  little  dress 
ing  room,  with  light  on  the  outer  folds,  and  dark 
ening  in  shadow  the  inner  curves ; — beautifying 
all,  this  silvery  glow  of  moonlight,  within  the 
darkened  earth — beautifying  my  heart  with  lighter 
and  more  hopeful  thoughts.  Whatever  the  sins 
of  the  world  may  have  brought  us  to — however 
dark  and  fearful  the  life  to  which  man  may  sub 
ject  us,  our  Heavenly  Father  ever  blesseth  us 
alike  with  the  sun's  warmth  and  the  moon's- 
beauty — ever  blesseth  us  with  the  hope  that,  when 
our  toil  and  travail  here  are  ended,  the  peace  and 
the  beautiful  life  of  heaven  will  be  ours. 

Days  wore  on,  and  the  mortar  shells  had  pass 
ed  over  continually  without  falling  near  us ;  so 
that  I  became  quite  at  my  ease,  in  view  of  our 
danger,  when  one  of  the  Federal  batteries  oppo 
site  the  intrenchments  altered  their  range ;  so 
that,  at  about  six  o'clock  every  evening,  Parrott 
shells  came  whirring  into  the  city,  frightening  the 
inhabitants  of  caves  wofully. 


Y2  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

Our  policy  in  building  had  been  to  face  di 
rectly  away  from  the  river,  and  all  caves  were 
prepared,  as  near  as  possible,  in  this  manner.  As 
the  fragments  of  shells  continued  with  the  same 
impetus  after  the  explosion,  in  but  one  direction, 
onward,  they  were  not  likely  to  reach  us,  fronting 
in  this  manner  with  their  course. 

But  this  was  unexpected — guns  throwing  shells 
from  the  battle  field  directly  at  the  entrance  of 
our  caves.  Really,  was  there  to  be  no  mental  rest 
for  the  women  of  Vicksburg  ? 

The  cave  we  inhabited  was  about  five  squares 
from  the  levee.  A  great  many  had  been  made  in 
a  hill  immediately  beyond  us ;  and  near  this  hill 
we  could  see  most  of  the  shells  fall.  Caves  were 
the  fashion — the  rage — over  besieged  Yicksburg. 
Negroes,  who  understood  their  business,  hired 
themselves  out  to  dig  them,  at  from  thirty  to  fifty 
dollars,  according  to  the  size.  Many  persons,  con 
sidering  different  localities  unsafe,  would  sell 
them  to  others,  who  had  been  less  fortunate,  or 
less  provident ;  and  so  great  was  the  demand  for 
cave  workmen,  that  a  new  branch  of  industry 
sprang  up  and  became  popular — particularly  as 
the  personal  safety  of  the  workmen  was  secured, 
and  money  withal. 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 

SHELLS    FROM  THE   REAR   OF    THE   CITY — PROVIDENTIAL   DELIVERANCE 
— PANTOMIME — PEA  MEAL — HOSPITAL   ACCIDENT. 

IT  was  about  four  o'clock,  one  Wednesday  even 
ing — the  shelling  during  the  day  had  gone  on 
about  as  usual — I  was  reading  in  safety,  I  ima 
gined,  when  the  unmistakable  whirring  of  Parrott 
shells  told  us  that  the  battery  we  so  much  feared 
had  opened  from  the  intrenchments.  I  ran  to  the 
entrance  to  call  the  servants  in  ;  and  immediately 
after  they  entered,  a  shell  struck  the  earth  a  few 
feet  from  the  entrance,  burying  itself  without  ex 
ploding.  I  ran  to  the  little  dressing  room,  and 
could  hear  them  striking  around  us  on  all  sides. 
I  crouched  closely  against  the  wall,  for  I  did  not 
know  at  what  moment  one  might  strike  within 
the  cave.  A  man  came  in  much  frightened,  and 
asked  to  remain  until  the  danger  was  over.  The 
servants  stood  in  the  little  niche  by  the  bed,  and 
the  man  took  refuge  in  the  small  ell  where  I  was 
stationed.  He  had  been  there  but  a  short  time, 
4 


74:  MY    CAVE  LIFE    IN   VICKSBFKG. 

standing  in  front  of  me,  and  near  the  wall,  when 
a  Parrott  shell  came  whirling  in  at  the  entrance, 
and  fell  in  the  centre  of  the  cave  before  us  all, 
lying  there  smoking.  Our  eyes  were  fastened 
upon  it,  while  we  expected  every  moment  the  ter 
rific  explosion  would  ensue.  I  pressed  my  child 
closer  to  my  heart,  and  drew  nearer  to  the  wall. 
Our  fate  seemed  almost  certain.  The  poor  man 
who  had  sought  refuge  within  was  most  exposed 
of  all.  With  a  sudden  impulse,  I  seized  a  large 
double  blanket  that  lay  near,  and  gave  it  to  him 
for  the  purpose  of  shielding  him  from  the  frag 
ments  ;  and  thus  we  remained  for  a  moment,  with 
our  eyes  fixed  in  terror  on  the  missile  of  death, 
when  George,  the  servant  boy,  rushed  forward, 
seized  the  shell,  and  threw  it  into  the  street, 
running  swiftly  in  the  opposite  direction.  For 
tunately,  the  fuse  had  become  nearly  extinguish 
ed,  and  the  shell  fell  harmless — remaining  near 
the  mouth  of  the  cave,  as  a  trophy  of  the  fearless 
ness  of  the  servant  and  our  remarkable  escape. 
Yery  thankful  was  I  for  our  preservation,  which 
was  the  theme  of  conversation  for  a  day  among 
our  cave  neighbors.  The  incident  of  the  blanket 
was  also  related ;  and  all  laughed  heartily  at  my 


MY   CAVE   LITE   IN   VICKSBTJKG.  75 

wise  supposition  that  the  blanket  could  be  any 
protection  from  the  heavy  fragments  of  shells. 

Nor  was  this  all :  I  had  occasion  to  go  to  the 
mouth  of  the  cave  one  evening  to  speak  to  George  ; 
and  there,  with  an  enlightened  audience  of  ser 
vants  from  the  surrounding  caves  collected  near 
him,  George  was  going  through  a  grave  panto 
mime  of  the  whole  affair.  It  seems  that  he  ex 
pected  the  refugee  to  act  the  part  of  preserver  in 
our  extremity,  and  throw  out  the  shell ;  but,  as 
he  was  disappointed  in  the  matter,  he  represented 
him  in  the  most  ridiculous  manner  possible  to  the 
audience. 

Pressing  up  closely  to  the  wheel  of  a  wagon 
near  by,  George  extended  his  eyes,  holding  out 
his  hand  as  if  with  a  shield,  and  shrinking  with 
the  semblance  of  extreme  terror,  that  amused  his 
spectators  vastly  :  then,  changing  the  whole  char 
acter,  he  put  on  the  bravest  port  imaginable, 
pushing  his  hat,  with  an  independent  air,  on  the 
side  of  his  head ;  and,  assuming  a  don't-carish 
look,  he  sauntered  forward  to  a  large  piece  of  shell 
that  lay  conveniently  near,  caught  it  with  both 
hands,  gave  it  a  careless  swing  and  throw  far  dif 
ferent  from  the  reality,  turned  on  his  heels,  walk- 


76  MY   CAYE   LITE   IN   VICKSBUEG. 

ed  back  to  the  wagon,  with  the  peculiar  swinging 
step  of  a  proud  negro ;  then,  leaning  his  ami  on 
the  wheel,  carelessly  surveyed  his  audience,  with 
a  look  that  plainly  said,  "  What  you  think  o'  dat, 
niggars  ? "  The  benefited  group  immediately  be 
gan  laughing  and  applauding,  like  a  well-trained 
bevy  of  claqueurs^  in  which  they  were  soon  joined 
by  George  himself. 

Soon  after,  I  received  a  note  from  M ,  im 
ploring  me  to  be  careful  and  remain  within  the 
cave  constantly.  I  could  see  that  he  was  restless 
and  troubled  in  regard  to  the  new  peril  from  the 
battle  field. 

And  so  the  weary  days  went  on — the  long, 
weary  days — when  we  could  not  tell  in  what  ter 
rible  form  death  might  come  to  us  before  the  sun 

went  down.  Another  fear  that  troubled  M 

was,  that  our  provisions  might  not  last  us  during 
the  siege.  He  would  frequently  urge  me  to  hus 
band  all  that  I  had,  for  troublesome  times  were 
probably  in  store  for  us  ;  told  me  of  the  soldiers  in 
the  intrenchnaents,  who  would  have  gladly  eaten 
the  bread  that  was  left  from  our  meals,  for  they 
were  suffering  every  privation,  and  that  our  ser 
vants  lived  far  better  than  these  men  who  were 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBTJKG.  77 

defending  the  city.  Soon  the  pea  meal  became  an 
article  of  food  for  us  also,  and  a  very  unpalatable 
article  it  proved.  To  make  it  of  proper  consist 
ency,  we  were  obliged  to  mix  some  corn  meal  with 
it,  which  cooked  so  much  faster  than  the  pea  meal, 
that  it  burned  before  the  bread  was  half  done. 
The  taste  was  peculiar  and  disagreeable. 

However,  it  soon  proved  unwholesome,  for  the 
soldiers  were  again  allowed  to  draw  rations  of  the 
remaining  corn  meal,  with  the  peas  in  the  kernel 
to  be  boiled  with  meat.  "We  were,  indeed,  expe 
riencing  the  rigors  and  hardships  of  a  siege,  for 
we  ate  nothing  now  but  meat  and  bread. 

Still,  we  had  nothing  to  complain  of  in  com 
parison  with  the  soldiers  :  many  of  them  were  sick 
and  wounded  in  a  hospital  in  the  most  exposed 
parts  of  the  city,  with  shells  falling  and  exploding 
all  around  them.  One  shell  went  completely 
through  a  hospital  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  with 
out  exploding  or  injuring  any  one,  save  by  the 
severe  shock  to  the  invalids :  a  fragment  after 
ward  came  through  the  side  of  the  same  house, 
severely  fracturing  the  hip  of  a  soldier,  who  was 
lying  already  wounded ;  one  or  two  wounded  men 
were,  also,  killed  by  fragments  of  shell  while  in 
the  hospital. 


CHAPTEE  XIY. 

DOGS — HORSES — DESCENT  OF  A  SHELL   THROUGH  A   CAVE — A  MOTHER'S 
CRIES — DESERTED   HOMES — SILENCE. 

EVEN  the  very  animals  seemed  to  share  the  general 
fear  of  a  sudden  and  frightful  death.  The  dogs 
would  be  seen  in  the  midst  of  the  noise  to  gallop 
up  the  street,  and  then  to  return,  as  if  fear  had 
maddened  them.  On  hearing  the  descent  of  a 
shell,  they  would  dart  aside — then,  as  it  exploded, 
sit  down  and  howl  in  the  most  pitiful  manner. 
There  were  many  walking  the  street,  apparently 
without  homes.  George  carried  on  a  continual 
warfare  with  them,  as  they  came  about  the  fire 
where  our  meals  were  cooking. 

In  the  midst  of  other  miserable  thoughts,  it 
came  into  my  mind  one  day,  that  these  dogs 
through  hunger  might  become  as  much  to  be 
dreaded  as  wolves.  Groundless  was  this  anxiety, 
for  in  the  course  of  a  week  or  two  they  had  almost 
disappeared. 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  79 

Tlie  horses,  belonging  to  the  officers,  and  fast 
ened  to  the  trees  near  the  tents,  would  frequently 
strain  the  halter  to  its  full  length,  rearing  high  in 
the  air,  with  a  loud  snort  of  terror,  as  a  shell 
would  explode  near.  I  could  hear  them  in  the 
night  cry  out  in  the  midst  of  the  uproar,  ending 
in  a  low,  plaintive  whinny  of  fear. 

The  poor  creatures  subsisted  entirely  on  cane 
tops  and  mulberry  leaves.  Many  of  the  mules 
and  horses  had  been  driven  outside  of  the  lines, 
by  order  of  General  Pemberton,  for  subsistence. 
Only  mules  enough  were  left,  belonging  to  the 
Confederacy,  to  allow  three  full  teams  to  a  regi 
ment.  Private  property  was  not  interfered  with. 

Sitting  in  the  cave,  one  evening,  I  heard  the 
most  heartrending  screams  and  moans.  I  was 
told  that  a  mother  had  taken  a  child  into  a  cave 
about  a  hundred  yards  from  us  ;  and  having  laid 
it  on  its  little  bed,  as  the  poor  woman  believed,  in 
safety,  she  took  her  seat  near  the  entrance  of  the 
cave.  A  mortar  shell  came  rushing  through  the 
air,  and  fell  with  much  force,  entering  the  earth 
above  the  sleeping  child — cutting  through  into 
the  cave — oh  !  most  horrible  sight  to  the  mother 
— crushing  in  the  upper  part  of  the  little  sleeping 


80  MY    CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJRG. 

head,  and  taking  away  the  young  innocent  life 
without  a  look  or  word  of  passing  love  to  be 
treasured  in  the  mother's  heart. 

I  sat  near  the  square  of  moonlight,  silent  and 
sorrowful,  hearing  the  sobs  and  cries — hearing  the 
moans  of  a  mother  for  her  dead  child — the  child 
that  a  few  moments  since  lived  to  caress  and  love 
— speaking  the  tender  words  that  endear  so  much 
the  tie  of  mother  and  child.  Oh,  the  little  lonely 
grave  !  so  far  distant,  yet  so  ever  present  with 
me ;  the  sunny,  auburn  head  that  I  laid  there  six 
months  after  this  terrible  war  began  ! 

I  could  not  hear  those  sobs  and  cries  without 
thinking  of  the  night — that  last  night — when  I 
held  my  darling  to  my  heart,  thinking  that, 
though  so  suddenly  stricken  and  so  scared,  she 
would  still  live  to  bless  my  life.  And  the  terrible 
awakening ! — to  find  that,  lying  in  my  arms  all 
my  own,  as  I  believed,  she  was  going  swiftly — 
going  into  the  far  unknown  eternity !  Sliding 
from  my  embrace,  the  precious  life  was  called  by 
One  so  mighty — so  all-powerful — yet  so  merciful, 
that  I  bowed  my  head  in  silence. 

Still  the  moans  from  the  bereaved  mother 
came  borne  on  the  pleasant  air,  floating  through 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICK6BUKG.  81 

the  silvery  moonlit  scene — saddening  hearts  that 
had  never  known  sorrow,  and  awakening  chords 
of  sympathy  in  hearts  that  before  had  thrilled  and 
suffered.  Yet,  "  it  is  better  to  have  loved  and 
lost  than  never  to  have  loved  at  all."  Yes,  better 
the  tender  memory  of  a  hidden  life  that  glows  in 
our  hearts  forever ;  better,  all  will  say  who  have 
known  the  light  and  consolation  given  from  on 
high,  when  we  throw  ourselves  before  His  Throne 
in  utter  wretchedness,  and  arise  strong — strong 
in  the  strength  that  never  faileth — the  Lord's 
strength.  The  desert  that  hath  not  known  the 
oases  of  life,  though  blasted  and  withered  by  the 
burning  sirocco  that  passeth  over,  cannot  know 
the  refreshing  and  gentle  drops  that  bring  renew 
ed  and  more  tender  verdure. 

How  very  sad  this  life  in  Yicksburg ! — how 
little  security  can  we  feel,  with  so  many  around 
us  seeing  the  morning  light  that  will  never  more 
see  the  night !  I  could  not  sit  quietly  within 
hearing  of  so  much  grief;  and,  leaving  my  seat, 
I  paced  backward  and  forward  before  the  low 
entrance  of  my  house.  The  court-house  bell 
tolled  twelve ;  and  though  the  shells  fell  slowly 
still  around  the  spot  where  the  young  life  had 
4* 


82  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

gone  out,  yet  friends  were  going  to  and  from  the 
place. 

How  blightingly  the  hand  of  warfare  lay  upon 
the  town  !  even  in  the  softening  light  of  the 
moon — the  closed  and  desolate  houses — the  gar 
dens,  with  gates  half  open,  and  cattle  standing 
amid  the  loveliest  flowers  and  verdure !  This 
carelessness  of  appearance  and  evident  haste  of  de 
parture  was  visible  everywhere — the  inhabitants, 
in  this  perilous  time,  feeling  only  anxiety  for  per 
sonal  safety  and  the  strength  of  their  cave  homes. 

The  moans  of  pain  came  slowly  and  more  in 
distinct,  until  all  was  silent ;  and  the  bereaved 
mother  slept,  I  hope — slept  to  find,  on  waking, 
a  dull  pressure  of  pain  at  her  heart,  and  in  the 
first  collection  of  faculties  will  wonder  what  it  is. 
Then  her  care  for  the  child  will  return,  and  the 
new  sorrow  will  again  come  to  her — gone,  forever 
gone ! 

It  will  take  days  to  fully  realize  it,  and  then 
she  will  struggle  and  grow  strong.  God  in  his 
mercy  helps  the  poor  human  hearts  that  suffer, 
struggle,  and  grow  strong  in  these  sad  years  of 
warfare  !  !Nb  one  came  now — no  word  to  show 
that  life  still  throbbed  in  the  silent  city. 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN    V1CKSBUKG.  83 

The  fresh  air  told  of  the  coming  morning  :  the 
guns  were  still.  Peace  for  a  short  time  reigned 
in  the  troubled  city  ;  and,  in  the  perfect  quiet  that 
prevailed,  my  eyes  grew  heavy,  and  I  once  more 
sought  my  bed — this  time  to  rest  peacefully  until 
the  cheerful  morning  light  dawned  upon  us. 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

AN  EXCITEMENT — SINKING   OP  THE   CINCINNATI — SKY  PARLOR   HILL — 
MOVING  PROSPECTS. 

WITH  the  dawn  came  the  old  unrest  and  distrust, 
for  the  shells  were  again  falling  quite  thickly 
around  us  j  and  I  passed  an  hour  or  two  in  con 
tinual  shrinkings  and  exclamations.  At  length 
our  tormentors  passed  farther  on,  and  I  again  felt 
relieved  from  anxiety. 

At  ten  or  twelve  o'clock,  we  saw,  in  spite 
of  the  continual  falling  of  the  shells,  gentlemen 
hurrying  toward  the  river.  Soon  we  heard  the 
Confederate  river  batteries  booming  loudly,  and 
then  all  was  silent.  What  could  it  mean  ?  I  did 
not  venture  to  look  without ;  and  so  I  sat  waiting 
for  some  one  to  come  to  me.  At  last  a  friend  ap 
peared,  who,  in  the  most  triumphant  manner, 
told  us  that  the  Confederates  had  routed  the  Fed 
eral  fleet.  The  gunboats  had  formed  in  line  of 
battle,  sailing  down  majestically,  with  the  Cincin- 
4* 


MY   CAVE    LIFE   IN   VICK6BUKG.  85 

nati — one  of  the  finest  boats  in  the  river  navy — • 
leading  the  attack. 

She  came  rapidly  down  around  the  point  of 
the  peninsula — the  signal  guns  silent — when  the 
battery,  containing  the  Brooks  gun,  opened  on 
her,  as  she  came  within  range.  The  first  shot  cut 
down  the  flag ;  the  second  struck  her  side ;  and 
the  third,  the  Brooks  ball,  with  the  steel  wedge, 
cut  into  the  iron  plates  near  the  water's  edge. 
She  turned  immediately,  and  steamed  back  up 
the  river  in  a  sinking  condition.  The  remaining 
boats,  also,  changed  their  course  and  retired.  The 
Cincinnati  had  scarcely  turned  the  point,  when 
she  sank  near  the  shore. 

"  Ah !  yes  ! "  said  the  Major,  "  had  it  not 
been  for  the  fortunate  sinking  of  the  Cincinnati, 
you  would  have  become  conscious  of  a  fearful 
warfare  raging  in  the  city.  Had  the  boats  gotten 
opposite  and  engaged  our  batteries,  the  firing 
would  have  been  terrific." 

The  Major  also  told  us  that  many  ladies  had 
been  so  much  interested  in  the  expected  engage 
ment,  that  they  had  gone  up  on  Sky  Parlor  Hill 
for  a  better  view. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  Federal  guns  have 


86  MY    CAVE    LIFE    IN   VICKSBUKG. 

never  been  sufficiently  elevated  to  throw  shell  and 
shot  so  high  as  Sky  Parlor  Hill ;  yet,  I  should  not 
like  to  risk  my  life  for  mere  curiosity  sake,  when 
it  was  not  possible  to  be  of  any  service. 

The  Sky  Parlor  Hill  is  so  called  from  -its  ex 
treme  height,  being  a  portion  of  the  bluff  that 
stood  where  the  principal  commercial  street  now 
stands,  the  grading  of  the  city  having  taken  most 
of  the  elevation  down.  The  hill  now  occupies 
about  a  square — the  distance  of  two  squares  from 
the  river — and  is  a  prominent  feature  from  all 
parts  of  the  city.  A  rugged  drive  winds  on  one 
side  up  the  steep  ascent,  and  a  long  and  dizzy 
flight  of  wooden  steps  ascend  from  the  street  on 
the  opposite  side. 

It  is  surmounted  by  a  little  house  that  one 
could  imagine  surmounted  "  the  bean  stalk,"  in 
the  celebrated  history  of  "  Jack,"  quaint  and  old, 
yet  one  that  the  earlier  inhabitants  would  have 
called  a  "  fine  house." 

The  view — and  that  is  what  the  place  is  visit 
ed  for — is  good,  both  of  the  city  and  river,  for 
some  miles  above.  Crowds  of  people  collect  here 
on  the  occasion  of  any  move  being  made  in  the 
direction  of  the  river. 


MY    CAVE    LIFE    IN    VICKSBURG.  87 

A  large  trunk  was  picked  up  after  the  sink 
ing  of  the  Cincinnati,  belonging  to  a  surgeon  01 
board.  It  contained  valuable  surgical  instru 
ments  that  could  not  be  procured  in  the  Confed 
eracy  ;  a  letter,  also,  written  to  the  gentleman's 
wife  previous  to  the  departure  of  the  fleet  from 
above,  telling  her  that  the  letter  would  be  mailed 
at  Yicksburg,  as  there  was  no  doubt  whatever 
that  the  place  would  be  taken  when  an  attack 
was  made  from  the  Viver. 

It  was  also  said  that  Commodore  Porter  was 
aboard  the  Cincinnati.  How  the  fact  was  ascer 
tained,  no  one  could  tell. 

Shortly  after  the  sinking  of  the  Cincinnati,  I 

received  a  note  from  M ,  saying  that  he  was 

very  much  troubled  in  regard  to  our  safety  in  the 
city — fearing  that  some  time  a  mortar  shell  might 
fall  on  our  cave,  or  that  the  constant  jarring  of 
the  earth  from  the  near  explosion,  might  cause 
it  to  seam  and  fall  upon  us.  Therefore,  he  had 
decided  to  have  a  home  made  for  me  near  the 
battle  field,  where  he  was  stationed — one  that 
would  be  entirely  out  of  reach  of  the  mortar 
shells.  I  was  positively  shocked  at  the  idea — 
going  to  the  battle  field  !  where  ball  and  shell  fell 


88  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJKG. 

without  intermission.  Was  M in  earnest  ?  I 

could  scarcely  believe  it. 

A  friend  came  soon  after,  and  told  me  that  I 
would  find  my  home  on  the  battle  field  far  more 
pleasant  and  safe  than  the  one  in  town — that  we 
were  protected  from  the  fragments  only  in  our 
cave — that  on  the  battle  field  the  missiles  were  of 
far  less  weight,  and  in  falling  far  less  dangerous. 

"We  were  to  experience  our  last  and  nearest  ex 
plosion  of  the  never-to-be-forgotten  mortar  shells 

before  we  left.  M had  written  to  me  to  be 

ready  on  the  following  night.  As  the  moon  was 
not  shining,  the  firing  from  the  Federal  batteries 
would  cease  at  dark ;  afterward  we  could  go  out 
without  interruption.  I  was  delighted  at  the 
prospect  of  a  change  in  our  mouldy  lives,  and 
looked  forward  to  our  ride — after  dark  though  it 
was — with  the  utmost  pleasure. 


CHAPTEE  XVI. 

FALL  OF  A  SHELL  AT  THE  CORNER  OF  MY  CAYE — MUSIC — CASUALTIES 
OF  THE  DAY. 

I  WAS  sitting  near  the  entrance,  about  five  o'clock, 
thinking  of  the  pleasant  change — oh,  bless  me  !— 
that  to-morrow  would  bring,  when  the  bombard 
ment  commenced  more  furiously  than  usual,  the 
shells  falling  thickly  around  us,  causing  vast  col 
umns  of  earth  to  fly  upward,  mingled  with  smoke. 
As  usual,  I  was  uncertain  whether  to  remain 
within  or  run  out.  As  the  rocking  and  trembling 
of  the  earth  was  very  distinctly  felt,  and  the  ex 
plosions  alarmingly  near,  I  stood  within  the  mouth 
of  the  cave  ready  to  make  my  escape,  should  one 
chance  to  fall  above  our  domicile.  In  my  anxiety 
I  was  startled  by  the  shouts  of  the  servants  and  a 
most  fearful  jar  and  rocking  of  the  earth,  followed 
by  a  deafening  explosion,  such  as  I  had  never  heard 
before.  The  cave  filled  instantly  with  powder 


90  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

smoke  and  dust.  I  stood  with  a  tingling,  prickling 
sensation  in  my  head,  hands,  and  feet,  and  with  a 
confused  brain.  Yet  alive ! — was  the  first  glad 
thought  that  came  to  me ; — child,  servants,  all 
here,  and  saved  ! — from  some  great  danger,  I  felt. 
I  stepped  out,  to  find  a  group  of  persons  before 
my  cave,  looking  anxiously  for  me ;  and  lying  all 
around,  freshly  torn,  rose  bushes,  arbor-vitse  trees, 
large  clods  of  earth,  splinters,  pieces  of  plank, 
wood,  &c.  A  mortar  shell  had  struck  the  corner 
of  the  cave,  fortunately  so  near  the  brow  of  the 
hill,  that  it  had  gone  obliquely  into  the  earth,  ex 
ploding  as  it  went,  breaking  large  masses  from 
the  side  of  the  hill — tearing  away  the  fence,  the 
shrubbery  and  flowers  —  sweeping  all,  like  an 
avalanche,  down  near  the  entrance  of  my  good 
refuge. 

I  stood  dismayed,  and  surveyed  the  havoc  that 
had  been  made  around  me,  while  our  little  fam 
ily  under  it  all  had  been  mercifully  preserved. 
Though  many  of  the  neighboring  servants  had 
been  standing  near  at  the  time,  not  one  had  been 
injured  in  the  slightest  degree ;  yet,  pieces  of 
plank,  fragments  of  earth,  and  splinters  had  fallen 
in  all  directions.  A  portion  of  earth  from  the 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJBG.  91 

roof  of  my  cave  had  been  dislodged  and  fallen. 
Saving  this,  it  remained  intact. 

That  evening  some  friends  sat  with  me :  one 
took  up  my  guitar  and  played  some  pretty  little 
airs  for  us ;  yet,  the  noise  of  the  shells  threw  a 
discord  among  the  harmonies.  To  me  it  seemed 
like  the  crushing  and  bitter  spirit  of  hate  near 
the  light  and  grace  of  happiness.  How  could 
we  sing  and  laugh  amid  our  suffering  fellow 
beings — amid  the  shriek  of  death  itself  ? 

This,  only  breaking  the  daily  monotony  of  our 
lives  ! — this  thrilling  knowledge  of  sudden  and 
horrible  death  occurring  near  us,  told  to-night 
and  forgotten  in  to-morrow's  renewal ! — this  sad 
news  of  a  Yicksburg  day  !  A  little  negro  child, 
playing  in  the  yard,  had  found  a  shell ;  in  rolling 
and  turning  it,  had  innocently  pounded  the  fuse  ; 
the  terrible  explosion  followed,  showing,  as  the 
white  cloud  of  smoke  floated  away,  the  mangled 
remains  of  a  life  that  to  the  mother's  heart  had 
possessed  all  of  beauty  and  joy. 

A  young  girl,  becoming  weary  in  the  confine 
ment  of  the  cave,  hastily  ran  to  the  house  in  the 
interval  that  elapsed  between  the  slowly  falling 
shells.  On  returning,  an  explosion  sounded  near 


y2  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG. 

her — one  wild  scream,  and  she  ran  into  her 
mother's  presence,  sinking  like  a  wounded  dove, 
the  life  blood  flowing  over  the  light  summer  dress 
in  crimson  ripples  from  a  death-wound  in  her 
side,  caused  bj  the  shell  fragment. 

A  fragment  had  also  struck  and  broken  the 
arm  of  a  little  boy  playing  near  the  mouth  of  his 
mother's  cave.  This  was  one  day's  account. 

I  told  of  my  little  girl's  great  distress  when 
the  shells  fell  thickly  near  us — how  she  ran  to 
me  breathless,  hiding  her  head  in  my  dress  with 
out  a  word ;  then  cautiously  looking  out,  with 
her  anxious  face  questioning,  would  say :  "  Oh ! 
mamma,  was  it  a  mortar  tell  ?  "  Poor  children, 
that  their  little  hearts  should  suffer  and  quail 
amid  these  daily  horrors  of  war ! 

The  next  evening,  about  four  o'clock,  M 's 

dear  face  appeared.  He  told  us  that  he  had  heard 
of  all  the  danger  through  which  we  had  passed, 
and  was  extremely  anxious  to  have  us  out  of  reach 
of  the  mortar  shells,  and  near  him  ;  he  also  thought 
we  would  find  our  new  home  on  the  battle  field 
far  superior  to  this ;  he  wished  us  to  go  out  as 
soon  as  possible.  As  at  this  hour  in  the  evening, 
for  the  last  week,  the  Federal  guns  had  been  quiet 


MY    CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG.  93 

until  almost  sundown,  lie  urged  me  to  be  ready 
in  the  shortest  time  possible ;  so  I  hastened  our 
arrangements,  and  we  soon  were  in  the  ambulance, 
driving  with  great  speed  toward  the  rifle  pits. 

O  the  beautiful  sunlight  and  the  fresh  even 
ing  air  !  How  glowing  and  delightful  it  all  seem 
ed  after  my  incarceration  under  the  earth !  I 
turned  to  look  again  and  again  at  the  setting  sun 
and  the  brilliant  crimson  glow  that  suffused  the 
atmosphere.  All  seemed  glad  and  radiant :  the 
sky — the  flowers  and  trees  along  our  drive — the 
cool  and  fragrant  breeze — all,  save  now  and  then 
the  sullen  boom  of  the  mortar,  as  it  slowly  cast  its 
death-dealing  shell  over  the  life  we  were  leaving 
behind  us. 

Were  it  not  for  the  poor  souls  still  within,  I 
could  have  clapped  my  hands  in  a  glad,  defiant 
jubilee  as  I  heard  the  reports,  for  I  thought  I 
was  leaving  my  greatest  fear  of  our  old  enemy 
in  the  desolate  cave  of  which  I  had  taken  my 
last  contemptuous  glance ;  yet,  the  fear  returned 
forciblv  to  me  afterward. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

RIDE   TO  THE   FORTIFICATIONS — NUMBER  OF   CAVES  ALONG  THE  ROAD 

APPEARANCE   OF   THE   NEW   HOME — CHANGE   OF   MISSILES. 

THE  road  we  were  travelling  was  graded  out 
through  the  hills ;  and  on  every  side  we  could 
see,  thickly  strewn  among  the  earthy  cliffs,  the 
never-to-be-lost  sight  of  caves — large  caves  and 
little  caves — some  cut  out  substantially,  roomy, 
and  comfortable,  with  braces  and  props  through 
out — many  only  large  enough  for  one  man  to  take 
refuge  in,  standing  ; — again,  at  a  low  place  in  the 
earth  was  a  seat  for  a  passer-by  in  case  of  danger. 
Driving  on  rapidly,  we  reached  the  suburbs 
of  the  city,  where  the  road  became  shady  and 
pleasant — still  with  caves  at  every  large  road  ex 
cavation,  reminding  one  very  much  of  the  num 
berless  holes  that  swallows  make  in  summer  ;  for 
both  the  mortar  and  Parrott  shells  disputed  this 
district  ;  and  a  cave,  front  in  whatever  direction 
it  might,  was  not  secure  from  fragments.  M 


MY    CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG.  95 

impatiently  urged  on  the  driver,  fearing  that  when 
the  firing  recommenced  we  would  still  be  on  the 
road.  Suddenly,  a  turn  of  the  drive  brought  in 
sight  two  large  forts  on  the  hills  above  us ;  and 
passing  down  a  ravine  near  one  of  these,  the  am 
bulance  stopped.  Here  we  saw  two  or  three  of 
the  little  shell  and  bomb  proof-houses  in  the  earth, 
covered  with  logs  and  turf.  We  were  hastily 
taken  out  and  started  for  our  home,  when  I  heard 
a  cutting  of  the  air — the  most  expressive  term  I 
can  use  for  that  peculiar  sound — above  my  head  ; 
and  the  balls  dropped  thickly  around  me,  bring 
ing  leaves  and  small  twigs  from  the  trees  with 
them. 

I  felt  a  sudden  rush  to  my  heart.;  but  the 
soldiers  were  camped  near,  and  many  stood  cau 
tiously  watching  the  effect  of  the  sudden  fall  of 
metal  around  me.  I  would  not  for  the  world  have 
shown  fear ;  so,  braced  by  my  pride,  I  walked 
with  a  firm  and  steady  pace,  notwithstanding  the 
treacherous  suggestions  of  my  heart  that  beat  a 

loud  "  Run,  run."     M ,  fearing  every  moment 

that  I  might  fall  by  his  side,  hurried  me  anx 
iously  along.  Within  a  short  distance  was  the 
adjutant's  office,  where  we  took  refuge  until  the 


96  MY   CAVE    LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

firing  became  less  heavy.     Here  we  found  friends, 
and  sat  chatting  some  time. 

The  "  office  "  was  a  square  excavation  made 
in  the  side  of  the  hill,  covered  over  with  logs  and 
earth,  seemingly  quite  cool  and  comfortable.  I 
had  been  confined  for  so  long  a  time  in  a  narrow 
space  of  earth,  that  daylight,  green  trees,  and 
ample  room  became  a  new  pleasure  to  me.  At 
sundown  there  was  a  cessation  in  the  rapid  fall  of 
balls  and  shells ;  and  we  again  started  for  our  home. 
I  was  taken  up  a  little  footpath  that  led  from  the 
ravine  up  under  a  careless,  graceful  arch  of  wild 
grape  vines,  whose  swinging  branchlets  were  drawn 
aside  ;  and  a  low,  long  room,  cut  into  the  hillside 
and  shaded  by  the  growth  of  forest  trees  around, 
was  presented  to  my  view  as  our  future  home. 
What  a  pleasant  place,  after  the  close  little  cave 
in  the  city  ! — large  enough  for  two  rooms — the 
back  and  sides  solid  walls  of  earth,  the  sloping  of 
the  hill  bringing  down  the  wall  to  about  four  feet 
at  the  entrance,  leaving  the  spaces  above,  between 
the  wall  and  roof,  for  light ;  the  side,  looking  out 
on  the  road  through  the  ravine,  was  entirely  open, 
yet  shaded  from  view  by  the  clustering  vines  over 
the  pathway. 


MY    CAVE    LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  97 

I  took  possession  delightedly.  A  blanket,  hung 
across  the  centre,  made  us  two  good-sized  rooms  : 
the  front  room,  with  a  piece  of  carpet  laid  down 
to  protect  us  from  the  dampness  of  the  floor,  and 
two  or  three  chairs,  formed  our  little  parlor ;  and 
the  back  room,  quiet  and  retired,  the  bedroom. 
Over  the  top  of  the  earth,  or  our  house,  held  up  by 
huge  forked  props,  were  the  trunks  of  small  trees 
laid  closely  across  together ;  over  that,  brush, 
limbs,  and  leaves,  and  covering  all  this  the  thick 
ness  of  two  or  three  feet  of  earth  beaten  down  com 
pactly,  and  thought  perfectly  safe  from  Minie 
balls  and  Parrott  or  shrapnell  shells. 

We  had  our  tent  fly  drawn  over  the  front, 
making  a  very  pleasant  veranda ;  for  a  narrow 
terrace  had  been  made  along  the  entrance,  from 
which  the  hill  sloped  abruptly  down  to  the  road 
in  the  ravine  opposite  the  dwelling ;  in  the  rear 
the  hill  rose  steeply  above  us.  All  was  quiet  to 
night,  as  it  usually  is,  I  was  told,  when  the  moon 
is  not  brightly  shining. 

The  Federal  commanders  fear  that  the  Con 
federates  will  strive  to  improve  their  defences  by 
the  moonlight,  which  is  certainly  done,  firing  or 
not,  for  the  fortifications  need  constant  strength* 
5 


98  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG. 

ening,  being  frequently  badly  torn  by  the  Parrott 
shells. 

The  next  morning  at  four  o'clock,  I  was 
awakened  by  a  perfect  tumult  in  the  air :  the 
explosion  of  shrapnell  and  the  rattling  of  shrap- 
nell  balls  around  us  reminded  me  that  my  dangers 
and  cares  were  not  yet  over.  How  rapidly  and 
thickly  the  shells  and  Minie  balls  fell — Parrott  of 
various  sizes — canister  and  solid  shot,  until  I  was 
almost  deafened  by  the  noise  and  explosions  !  I 
lay  and  thought  of  the  poor  soldiers  down  below 
in  the  ravine,  with  only  their  tents  over  their 
heads  ;  and  it  seemed  in  this  storm  of  missiles  that 
all  must  be  killed.  How  strange  so  few  casual 
ties  occur  during  these  projectile  storms  ! 

Our  little  home  stood  the  test  nobly.  We 
were  in  the  first  line  of  hills  back  of  the  heights 
that  were  fortified  ;  and,  of  course,  we  felt  the  full 
force  of  the  very  energetic  firing  that  was  con 
stantly  kept  up ;  and  being  so  near,  many  that 
passed  over  the  first  line  of  hills  would  fall  directly 
around  us. 


CHAPTEK  XVIII. 

MORNING CHARGE  OF  GENERAL  BURBRIDGE — HORRORS   OP  WAR — AN 

IMPORTANT   DISCOVERY. 

How  dewy  and  pleasant  the  morning !  I  stood 
looking  out  from  the  little  terrace,  breathing  the 
fresh  air,  and  learning  the  new  surroundings,  so 
far  as  my  eye  went,  for  it  was  not  safe  to  venture 
out  from  the  covering  of  the  cave — the  ravine  front 
ing  me,  shady,  dark,  and  cool — the  sun  just  rising 
over  the  hilltop  and  lighting  the  upper  limbs  of 
the  large  trees.  Up  the  ravine,  the  Headquarters, 
horses  were  tethered,  lazily  rising  and  shaking 
their  coats  after  the  night's  rest  on  the  ground — 
shaking  off  their  drowsiness  to  begin  the  break 
fast  of  mulberry  leaves.  Amidst  the  constant 
falling  of  rifle  balls,  the  birds  sang  as  sweetly,  and 
flew  as  gayly  from  tree  to  tree,  as  if  there  were 
peace  and  plenty  in  the  land.  Plenty  there  cer 
tainly  was  not  in  Vicksburg,  as  any  one  would 


100  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJRG. 

have  said  who  had  been  invited  to  our  little 
breakfast  that  morning :  bacon  side  and  bread 
were  all;  and  I  had  become  so  accustomed  to 
them,  that  I  obeyed  the  calls  to  breakfast  with  re 
luctance  ;  eating,  most  practically,  to  sustain  life, 
without  the  slightest  relish  for  the  food  I  was 
compelled  to  masticate  and  swallow. 

Yet,  all  received  their  trials  with  cheerful 
ness.  The  gentlemen,  who  breakfasted  with  us 
that  morning,  laughed  and  made  merry  over  the 
rations,  and  told  me  of  the  mule  meat  that  was 
soon  to  be  served  up  to  us. 

They  were  speaking  of  a  charge  that  had  been 
made,  most  gallantly,  by  General  Burbridge  and 
the  Federal  troops  of  his  command,  on  the  Con 
federate  intrenchments :  they  had  rushed  over 
the  breastworks  and  into  the  rifle  pits,  driving  out 
the  Southern  soldiers.  The  whole  Confederate 
camp  near  the  spot  arose  in  a  furious  excitement, 
officers  and  men  alike  throwing  hand  grenades 
down  upon  the  intruders,  until  they  were  forced 
to  retire,  after  holding  the  place  some  little  time. 
I  was  told  that  General  Burbridge  had,  laugh 
ingly,  remarked  to  a  Confederate  officer,  during 
the  truce,  that,  staying  in  the  intrenchments  in 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  101 

the  hot  sun,  and  having  hand  grenades  thrown  at 
him  in  profusion,  was  as  warm  a  work  asMie  wish 
ed  to  undertake  in  one  day. 

After  the  Federal  troops  left  the  intrench- 
ments,  a  hole  was  found  in  the  loose  earth  of  the 
breastworks  that  caused  much  amusement  among 
the  Confederate  soldiers — a  large  hole  where  one 
of  the  Federals  had  literally  burrowed  his  way 
out  from  the  pits.  "  I  reckon  he's  some  kin  to  a 
mole,"  sagely  commented  one  of  the  soldiers. 

A  flag  of  truce  had  been  sent  by  the  Federal 
commander,  asking  leave  to  bury  the  killed  and 
remove  the  wounded  that  had  been  left  on  the 
field,  in  one  of  the  charges  that  had  been  made 
on  the  Confederate  lines. 

The  request  had  been  refused  by  General  Pem- 
berton.  Afterward  the  effluvia  from  the  dead 
bodies  became  so  intolerable,  that  he  was  obliged 
in  his  turn  to  ask  a  truce,  and  request  the  Federal 
officers  to  bury  their  dead.  I  was  distressed  to 
hear  of  a  young  Federal  lieutenant  who  had  been 
severely  wounded  and  left  on  the  field  by  his  com 
rades.  He  had  lived  in  this  condition  from  Satur 
day  until  Monday,  lying  in  the  burning  sun  with 
out  water  or  food ;  and  the  men  on  both  sides 


102  MY   CAVE   LIFE  IN   VICK8BUEG. 

could  witness  the  agony  of  the  life  thus  prolonged, 
witiKnrtr-t'ie  power  to  assist  him  in  anyway.  I 
was  glad,. indeed,  when  I  heard  the  poor  man  had 
expired  on  Monday  morning.  Another  soldier  left 
on  the  field,  badly  wounded  in  the  leg,  had  begged 
most  piteously  for  water  ;  and  lying  near  the  Con 
federate  intrenchments,  his  cries  were  all  direct 
ed  to  the  Confederate  soldiers.  The  firing  was 
heaviest  where  he  lay ;  and  it  would  have  been  at 
the  risk  of  a  life  to  have  gone  to  him ;  yet,  a  Con 
federate  soldier  asked  and  obtained  leave  to  carry 
water  to  him,  and  stood  and  fanned  him  in  the 
midst  of  the  firing,  while  he  eagerly  drank  from 
the  heroic  soldier's  canteen. 

The  officer  who  related  this  little  incident 
had  not  yet  obtained  the  name  of  the  noble  man. 
Truly,  "  the  bravest  are  the  tenderest ;  the  loving 
are  the  daring."  How  generous — how  truly  brave 
the  man  who  would  thus  dare  death  !  who  would, 
at  the  risk  of  life,  perform  a  truly  Christian  deed  ! 
Oh  !  were  all  men  but  true  followers  of  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  how  short  would  be  this  warfare  !  Did 
only  individual  Christians  strive  to  do  their  duty 
in  every  respect,  this  great  suffering  would  not  be 
upon  us.  There  are  enough  in  the  world  who 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN    VICKSBUEG.  103 

worship  Him  who  died  that  all  might  be  happy 
— enough  to  stand  before  the  heads  of  the  Chris 
tian  nation  and  plead  in  His  name  that  there  be 
mercy  for  these  dying  and  bleeding  thousands — 
that  these  brothers,  sons,  and  husbands  may  not  He 
torn,  swollen,  and  writhing  in  the  hot  sun,  with 
burning  eyes  and  parched  tongues,  far,  far  from 
those  who  are  powerless  to  succor  them  in  this 
fearful  time ;  and,  with  these  pleadings,  would 
ascend  prayers  to  Him  who  rewards  the  peace 
makers  as  the  children  of  God — prayers  from 
many  an  aching,  tear-seared  heart ;  and  the  fierce 
bitterness,  strife,  and  hatred  that  move  men  so, 
would  pale  before  this  blessing.  Should  they  fail, 
and  the  wrong  go  on,  then  they  have  done  their 
duty ;  and  they  will  find  mercy,  not  where  the 
error  of  man's  judgment  withholds  it,  but  before 
Him  to  whom  the  least  of  these  are  of  incalculable 
value. 

One  morning  George  made  an  important  dis 
covery — a  newly  made  stump  of  sassafras,  very 
near  the  cave,  with  large  roots  extending  in  every 
direction,  affording  us  an  inexhaustible  vein  of 
tea  for  future  use.  We  had  been  drinking  water 
with  our  meals  previous  to  this  disclosure ;  coffee 


104:  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJRG. 

and  tea  had  long  since  been  among  the  things 
that  were,  in  the  army.  We,  however,  were  more 
fortunate  than  many  of  the  officers,  having  access 
to  an  excellent  cistern  near  us  ;  while  many  of  our 
friends  used  muddy  water,  or  river  water,  which, 
being  conveyed  so  great  a  distance,  became  ex 
tremely  warm  and  disagreeable. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

AN    ACCEPTABLE    PRESENT — HUNGER — HALF    RATIONS — IN    THE    RIFLE 
PITS. 

A  BEKVANT  brought  me  one  day  a  present  from  an 
officer,  that  was  acceptable  indeed :  two  large, 
yellow,  ripe,  June  apples,  sealed  in  a  large  en 
velope.  They  were  as  much  of  a  variety  to  me  as 
pineapples  would  have  been. 

On  another  occasion,  a  gentleman  sent  me  four 
large  slices  of  ham,  having  been  fortunate  enough 
to  procure  a  small  piece  himself.  Now  and  then 
gentlemen  in  calling  would  bring  to  my  little  girl 
and  myself  some  little  article  that  it  was  impos 
sible  to  procure  ;  and  only  those  who  have  under 
gone  like  privations  can  understand  how  truly 
grateful  we  felt  for  these  little  kindnesses.  One 
day  a  friend  brought  us  some  fruit  that  had  been 
presented  to  him.  While  we  were  conversing, 


106  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG. 

my  little  hunger-besieged  two-year-old  daughter 
quietly  secured  it,  and,  sitting  on  the  floor,  ate 
with  avidity.  When  she  had  finished  nearly  all 
of  it,  she  turned  around,  with  a  bright  and  well- 
satisfied  face,  to  me,  saying,  "  Mamma,  it's  so 
dood !  " — the  first  intimation  that  I  had  that  my 
portion  had  disappeared.  Dear  child ;  I  trembled 
for  her  in  the  greater  trials  I  believed  in  store  for 
us.  Fruits  and  vegetables  were  not  to  be  pro 
cured  at  any  price.  Every  one  felt  the  foreboding 
of  a  more  serious  trouble,  the  great  fear  of  starva 
tion  that  stared  all  in  the  face  causing  those  who 
possessed  any  article  in  the  shape  of  edibles  to 
retain  it  for  that  period  to  which  all  looked  for 
ward  with  anxiety — when  we  would  come  to  ac 
tual  want. 

Already  the  men  in  the  rifle  pits  were  on  half 
rations — flour  or  meal  enough  to  furnish  bread 
equivalent  in  quantity  to  two  biscuits  in  two  days : 
many  of  them  ate  it  all  at  once,  and  the  next  day 
fasted,  preferring,  as  they  said,  to  have  one  good 
meal. 

So  they  sat  cramped  up  all  day  in  the  pits — 
their  rations  cooked  in  the  valley  and  brought  to 
them — scarcely  daring  to  change  their  positions 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  107 

and  stand  erect,  for  the  Federal  sharpshooters 
were  watching  for  the  heads ;  and  to  rise  above 
the  breastworks  was  almost  certain  death.  Fre 
quently,  a  Parrott  shell  would  penetrate  the 
intrenchments,  and,  exploding,  cause  frightful 
wounds,  and  death  most  frequently.  "  Ah !  "  said 

M ,  one  day,  "it  is  to  the  noble  men  in  the 

rifle  pits  that  Vicksburg  will  owe  aught  of  honor 
she  may  gain  in  this  siege.  I  revere  them,  as  I 
see  them  undergoing  every  privation  with  cour 
age  and  patience,  anxious  only  for  the  high  re 
putation  of  the  city." 

They  amused  themselves,  while  lying  in  the 
pits,  by  cutting  out  little  trinkets  from  the  wood 
of  the  parapet  and  the  Minie  balls  that  fell  around 
them.  Major  Fry,  from  Texas,  excelled  in  skill 
and  ready  invention,  I  think :  he  sent  me  one 
day  an  arm  chair  that  he  had  cut  from  a  Minie 
ball — the  most  minute  affair  of  the  kind  I  ever 
saw,  yet  perfectly  symmetrical.  At  another  time, 
he  sent  me  a  diminutive  plough  made  from  the 
parapet  wood,  with  traces  of  lead,  and  a  lead 
point  made  from  a  Minie  ball. 

I  had  often  remarked  how  cheerfully  the  soldiers 
bore  the  hardships  of  the  siege.  I  saw  them  often 


108  MY    CAVE    LIFE    IN    VICKSBUKG. 

passing  with  their  little  sacks  containing  scanty 
rations,  whistling  and  chatting  pleasantly,  as 
around  them  thickly  flew  the  balls  and  shells. 

Poor  men,  yet  so  badly  used,  and  undergoing 
so  many  privations ! 


CHAPTER  XX. 

A  RAINY    MORNINO A  WATERSPOUT — DISMAL   EXPERIENCE — BRIGHTER 

PROSPECTS — AN   UNFORTUNATE   SLEEPER. 

THE  clouds  had  been  darkening  around  us  all  day, 
and  at  night  we  had  the  prospect  of  a  storm. 

M sent  George  out  with  a  spade  to  slope  the 

earth  about  the  roof  of  our  home,  and  widen  the 
water  ditch  around  it ;  yet,  it  was  not  until  the 
next  morning  that  the  rain  began  falling.  By 

daylight  I  heard  M giving  orders  rapidly 

about  packing  the  earth  firmly,  deepening  the 
ditch,  and  watching  the  rear  of  the  cave. 

I  opened  my  eyes  to  see  without  the  darkness 
and  gloom  of  a  rainy  day — to  feel  the  dampness 

of  the  mist  upon  my  face,  and  to  behold  M 

standing  at  the  entrance,  with  the  movable  ar 
ticles  near  him  piled  out  of  reach  of  the  driving 
rain,  giving  orders  to  George  in  regard  to  our 
doubly  besieged  fortress.  I  lay  and  listened  to 


110  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

the  dropping  and  plashing  with  a  dreamy  pleasure 

at  first ;  but  hearing  M start  out  to  see  if  all 

were  right,  I  sprang  up,  thinking  I  might  assist 
in  keeping  out  the  water.  It  was  a  very  for 
tunate  move ;  for  I  had  scarcely  begun  dressing, 
when  the  earth  gave  away  at  the  head  of  my  bed, 
and  a  perfect  spout  of  muddy  water  burst  through 
the  embankment  and  fell  in  the  centre  of  the  rest 
ing  place  I  had  so  lately  left.  To  run  and  call 

M to  stop  the  water  in  the  back  part  of  the 

cave,  and,  in  the  greatest  haste,  to  assist  Cinth  in 
removing  every  article  that  was  at  all  dry,  and 
let  the  water  have  free  course  through,  was  the 
work  of  an  instant ;  yet,  in  the  short  time  that  the 
water  had  flowed  through  the  cave,  we  present 
ed  a  miserably  deluged  appearance :  trunks  were 
piled  on  trunks — lines  hanging  from  log  to  log  in 
the  roof,  filled  with  the  dripping  carpet,  blankets, 
sheets,  and  miscellaneous  articles,  dripping  with 
a  dreary  patter  on  the  floor — chairs  turned  up 
together,  and  packed  out  of  the  way — our  home 
like  arrangements  all  in  disorder.  And  now  that 
the  water  had  been  turned  that  flowed  through 
the  cave,  I  and  the  servant  sat,  disconsolately, 
with  our  skirts  drawn  around,  and  our  feet  on 


MY    CAVE    LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG.  Ill 

little  blocks  of  wood  to  keep  them  out  of  the 
mud,  with  rueful  faces,  regarding  the  sweeping 
of  the  water  and  plashing  of  rain  without. 

The  water,  having  overflowed  the  sides  of  the 
ditch,  making  a  new  channel,  and  pouring  down 
at  the  entrance,  had  completely  washed  away  our 
little  terrace,  leaving  a  huge  and  yawning  gulf 
immediately  in  front  of  us.  I  was  thus  contem 
plating,  sorrowfully,  the  ruins  of  our  little  home, 

when  M came  down,  bringing  cheer  to  us  again 

in  the  expression  of  his  bright,  strong,  and  calm 
face  ;  the  water  was  flowing  in  little  streams  from 
his  hat  down  to  his  coat,  flowing  over  his  coat, 
making  little  pools  on  the  floor  as  he  stood.  He 
declared  that  the  storm  was  nearly  over,  and  that 
we  would  have  some  breakfast  in  spite  of  it. 
Taking  his  hat  from  his  head  and  shaking  the 
water  from  it,  and  from  his  hair,  he  bade  George 
take  his  spade  and  cut  a  fireplace  near  the  en 
trance,  bring  up  his  camp  kettles,  which  were  full 
of  water,  kindle  a  large  fire,  and  have  the  break 
fast  on.  He  congratulated  me  upon  the  perfect 
safety  of  our  residence,  that  the  water  was  run 
ning  around  it  in  regular  Venetian  style,  and  that 
for  the  present  we  were  perfectly  waterproof. 


112  MY   CAVE   LIFE  IN   VICKSBURG. 

Indeed,  our  home  was  in  a  precarious  situation 
on  a  rainy  day,  for  we  were  planted  in  the  bed  of 
the  torrent  of  water  that  drained  from  the  hill 

above ;  yet,  M •  assured  me  that  now  we  had 

nothing  to  fear,  for  with  George  he  had  packed 
the  earth  perfectly  firm  and  secure.  He  laughed 
heartily  at  my  narrow  escape ;  for  I  declared  that 
I  should  never  have  felt  in  a  pleasant  humor  again 
if  that  rush  of  muddy  water  had  fallen  on  me. 

Soon  the  fire  blazed  cheerfully  up,  and  George 
commenced  the  preparation  of  our  simple  break 
fast — M going  out  to  attend  to  some  reports. 

I  had  always  looked  forward  to  the  prospect  of 
rain  with  pleasure,  as  procuring  us  some  respite 
from  the  incessant  noise  of  explosions,  and  from 
the  whistling  and  falling  of  balls.  The  fury  of 
the  storm  had  scarcely  abated,  when  the  tumult 
and  din  of  the  Federal  batteries  and  musketry  re 
commenced  ;  and  far  from  the  rain  extinguishing 
the  fuse  of  the  shell,  there  seemed  to  be  an  un 
usually  large  number  falling  this  morning.  I  be 
gan  to  feel  thoroughly  thawed  and  revived  when 

George  set  the  breakfast  on  the  table  and  M 

came  in ;  so  we  sat  down  quite  gayly,  in  spite  of 
the  continued  falling  of  the  rain. 


MY   CAVE   LITE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  113 

The  pleasant  fire  was  doing  its  work,  and  the 
earth  was  rapidly  hardening  around  us. 

M told  me  of  a  colonel  of  one  of  the  regi 
ments  stationed  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the  fortified 
hills,  who  unfortunately  slept  too  long,  and  the 
turbulent  rush  of  the  waters  down  the  hill  broke 
through  all  barriers,  enveloping  him  completely 
in  mud,  water,  sand,  and  sediment.  He  sprang 
from  the  ground  in  a  towering  rage,  and  could 
scarcely  be  persuaded  that  he  was  not  the  victim 
of  a  practical  joke.  So  soundly  had  he  slept,  that 
he  was  entirely  oblivious  of  the  storm,  and  could 
scarcely  believe  his  rude  awakening  the  work  of 

the  elements.  M told  me  also,  with  a  grave 

face,  of  the  poor  soldiers  he  had  seen  in  the  rifle 
pits  that  morning,  standing  in  water — some  with 
little  pieces  of  carpet  drawn  around  them  ;  others 
with  nothing  but  their  thin  clothes,  which  were 
saturated ;  and  there  they  would  lie  through  the 
day,  with  only  the  meal  of  yesterday  to  sustain 
them. 


CHAPTEE  XXI. 

WEARY — THE   COURIERS  PROM   GENERAL   JOHNSTON — DANGEROUS    PAS 
TURAGE — MULE   MEAT — LOCAL   SONGS — MISSED  BY  A  MINIE  BALL. 

I  AM  told  by  my  friends,  who  call,  that  I  am  look 
ing  worn  and  pale,  and  frequently  asked  if  I  am 
not  weary  of  this  cave  life.  I  parry  the  question 
as  well  as  possible,  for  I  do  not  like  to  admit  it 

for  M 's  sake ;  yet,  I  am  tired  and  weary — 

ah !  so  weary  !  I  never  was  made  to  exist  under 
ground ;  and  when  I  am  obliged  to,  what  wonder 
that  I  vegetate,  like  other  unfortunate  plants — 
grow  wan,  spindling,  and  white  !  Yet,  I  must 
reason  with  myself :  I  had  chosen  this  life  of  suf 
fering  with  one  I  love ;  and  what  suffering,  after 
all,  have  I  experienced  ? — privations  in  the  way 
of  good  and  wholesome  food,  not  half  what  the 
poor  people  around  us  are  experiencing. 

A  fear  of  those  that  can  kill  the  body,  and 
after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can  do  !     I  will 


MY  CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBUKG.  115 

not  be  unnerved — I  have  no  right  to  complain. 
Wherever  He  hath  placed  me,  there  will  I  be 
found  in  His  strength ;  and  hereafter  I  will  be 
brave  and  steadfast. 

To  reason  with  myself  in  this  time  of  danger 
was  one  of  the  chief  employments  of  my  cave  life. 
Time  passes  on,  and  all  say  the  siege  cannot  last 
much  longer ;  and  still  we  are  here — and  still  the 
deafening  noise  of  shells — and  the  variety  of  mis 
siles  that  are  thrown  fall,  scattering  death  in  all 
directions. 

About  this  time,  the  town  was  aroused  by  the 
arrival  of  a  courier  from  General  Johnston,  who 
brought  private  despatches  to  General  Pember- 
ton,  the  nature  of  which  did  not  transpire ;  yet, 
from  the  very  silence  of  General  Pemberton,  the 
officers  augured  the  worst. 

The  courier  brought  many  letters  to  the  in 
habitants  from  friends  without.  His  manner  of 
entering  the  city  was  singular  :  Taking  a  skiff  in 
the  Yazoo,  he  proceeded  to  its  confluence  with 
the  Mississippi,  where  he  tied  the  little  boat,  en 
tered  the  woods,  and  awaited  the  night.  At  dark 
he  took  off  his  clothing,  placed  his  despatches  se 
curely  within  them,  bound  the  package  firmly  to 


116  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUEG. 

a  plank,  and,  going  into  the  river,  lie  sustained 
his  head  above  the  water  by  holding  to  the  plank, 
and,  in  this  manner,  floated  in  the  darkness 
through  the  fleet,  and  on  two  miles  down  the 
river  to  Yicksburg,  where  his  arrival  was  hailed 
as  an  event  of  great  importance,  in  the  still  life 
of  the  city. 

The  hill  opposite  our  cave  might  be  called 
"  death's  point "  from  the  number  of  animals  that 
had  been  killed  in  eating  the  grass  on  the  sides 
and  summit.  In  all  directions  I  can  see  the  turf 
turned  up,  from  the  shells  that  have  gone  plough 
ing  into  the  earth.  Horses  or  mules  that  are 
tempted  to  mount  the  hill  by  the  promise  of  grass 
that  grows  profusely  there,  invariably  come  limp 
ing  down  wounded,  to  die  at  the  base,  or  are 
brought  down  dead  from  the  summit. 

A  certain  number  of  mules  are  killed  each  day 
by  the  commissaries,  and  are  issued  to  the  men, 
all  of  whom  prefer  the  fresh  meat,  though  it  be 
of  mule,  to  the  bacon  and  salt  rations  that  they 
have  eaten  for  so  long  a*  time  without  change. 
There  have  already  been  some  cases  of  scurvy : 
the  soldiers  have  a  horror  of  the  disease ;  there 
fore,  I  suppose,  the  mule  meat  is  all  the  more 


MY  CAVE  LIFE  IN  VICKSBUEG.  117 

welcome.  Indeed,  I  petitioned  M to  have 

some  served  on  our  table.  He  said  :  "  No  ;  wait 
a  little  longer."  He  did  not  like  to  see  me  eat 
ing  mule  until  I  was  obliged  to  ;  that  he  trusted 
Providence  would  send  us  some  change  shortly. 

That  very  afternoon  I  was  looking  out  on  the 
opposite  hill,  where  the  shells  were  falling  fre 
quently.  I  noticed  a  very  large,  fine  cow  slowly 
grazing  on  the  side,  and  ascending  higher  and 
higher  as  she  moved. 

It  was  a  matter  of  wonder  with  me  where  she 
came  from,  for  beef  cattle  of  all  kinds  had  dis 
appeared  from  Yicksburg.  The  cow  was  in  fine 
condition ;  and  I  thought :  Poor  creature,  you 
are  not  prudent  in  eating  such  dangerous  grass. 
A  short  time  before  tea,  M came  up  laugh 
ing,  and  said :  "  Providence  has  indeed  sent  you 
fresh  meat,  so  that  you  will  not  have  to  depend 
upon  mule.  A  fine  cow  has  been  killed  by  a  shell 
on  the  opposite  hill.  The  General  has  taken  the 
meat,  and  a  large  share  has  been  sent  to  you." 

I  regretted  the  fate  of  the  animal  that  I  had 
so  lately  seen  vigorous  with  life  ;  yet  now,  "  since 
fate  was  so  unkind,"  I  gladly  received  my  por 
tion,  thinking  of  the  old  saw,  "  it's  an  ill  wind," 


118  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

&c.  George  and  some  of  the  boys  in  the  camp 
cut  the  meat  in  strips ;  and  I  was  able  to  send 
some  soup  meat  to  the  courier  that  rode  con 
tinually  among  the  shower  of  balls,  and  to  a  poor 
humped-back  soldier,  whose  strength  was  giving 
way  from  the  privation  he  had  undergone :  the 
remainder  was  rubbed  with  saltpetre,  strung  on 
canes  laid  across  frames,  with  a  slow  fire  under 
neath  ;  and  the  heat  of  the  sun  and  the  fire  com 
bined  jerked  it  nicely  for  future  use. 

I  laughed  heartily  at  the  appearance  of  the 
cave  a  day  or  two  after  the  process.  The  logs  of 
the  roof  were  hung  with  festoons  of  jerked  meat, 
that  swung  gracef filly  and  constantly  above  us ; 
and  walking  around  under  it,  I  felt,  quite  like  an 
Indian,  I  suppose,  after  a  successful  chase,  that 
starvation  for  a  while  was  far  in  the  background. 

It  was  astonishing  how  the  young  officers  kept 
up  their  spirits,  frequently  singing  quartets  and 
glees  amid  the  pattering  of  Minie  balls ;  and  I 
often  heard  gay  peals  of  laughter  from  head 
quarters,  as  the  officers  that  had  spent  the  day, 
and  perhaps  the  night,  previous  in  the  rifle  pits, 
would  collect  to  make  out  reports.  This  evening 
a  gentleman  visited  us,  and,  among  other  songs, 


MY   CAVE   LIVE   IN   VICKSBTJEG.  119 

sang  words  to  the  air  of  the  "  Mocking  Bird," 
wliich  I  will  write  : 

"  'Twas  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 

Of  Yicksburg,  of  Vicksburg— 

'Twas  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
When  the  Parrott  shells  were  whistling  through  the  air 

Listen  to  the  Parrott  shells — 

Listen  to  the  Parrott  shells  : 
The  Parrott  shells  are  whistling  through  the  air. 

"  Oh  !  well  will  we  remember — 

Remember — remember 

Tough  mule  meat,  June  sans  November, 
And  the  Minie  balls  that  whistled  through  the  air. 

Listen  to  the  Minie  balls — 

Listen  to  the  Minie  balls  : 
The  Minie  balls  are  singing  in  the  air." 

Songs  of  every  description  are  composed  in 
honor  of  narrow  escapes,  unlucky  incidents,  brave 
deeds,  &c. ;  songs — humorous,  pathetic,  and  tragic 
— are  sung  in  every  manner  of  voice.  Sometimes 
hoarse,  with  surprising  loudness  and  depth  ;  again, 
with  richly  modulated  tones  and  much  soft  volume 
and  melody — all  sing,  according  to  differently  ac 
customed  tastes. 

I  heard,  one  night,  a  soldier  down  the  ravine 
singing  one  of  the  weird,  melodious  hymns  that 
negroes  often  sing ;  and,  amid  the  firing  and 
crashing  of  projectiles,  it  floated  up  to  me  in  soft, 


120  MY  CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBTJKG. 

musical  undertones  that  were  fascinating  in  the 
extreme :  the  wailing  of  the  earthly  unrest — the 
longing  for  the  glorious  home  that  the  warm 
imagery  pictures  to  be  glorious  in  golden  lights 
and  silvery  radiance — of  song  and  brilliant  happi 
ness  !  The  voice  was  full  and  triumphant.  Then 
the  rapid  change,  in  low  and  mournful  cadence, 
to  the  earth,  the  clay,  the  mire — to  dearth,  to  suf 
fering,  to  sin  !  "  I  wonder,  Lord,  will  I  ever  get 
to  heaven — to  the  New  Jerusalem  ?  "  came  with 
the  ending  of  every  verse.  I  bowed  my  face  in  my 
hands.  Yes  !  heaven  was  so  far  off!  Yet — "he 
that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  nowise  cast  out " — 
our  grasp  is  firm,  but  our  eyes  are  blind.  Some 
day,  after  the  earthly  longings  are  stilled,  we  will 
know  the  exceeding  glory. 

Though  singing  songs  of  every  description,  yet 
how  often  we  are  made  to  feel  that  any  moment 
the  summons  may  come  ! 

I  was  sewing,  one  day,  near  one  side  of  the 
cave,  where  the  bank  slopes  and  lights  up  the 
room  like  a  window.  Near  this  opening  I  was 
sitting,  when  I  suddenly  remembered  some  little 
article  I  wished  in  another  part  of  the  room. 
Crossing  to  procure  it,  I  was  returning,  when  a 


MY    CAVE   LIFE    IN   VICKSBUKG. 

Minie  ball  came  whizzing  through  the  opening, 
passed  my  chair,  and  fell  beyond  it.  Had  I  been 
still  sitting,  I  should  have  stopped  it.  Conceive 
how  speedily  I  took  the  chair  into  another  part 
of  the  room,  and  sat  in  it  1 


CHAPTEE  XXII. 

A  WOUNDED  HORSE — SHRAPNELL  SHELLS — CHARGE  ON  THE   INTRENCH- 
MENTS — FEARFUL  FIRING. 

ONE  evening  I  noticed  one  of  the  horses  tied  in 
the  ravine,  acting  very  strangely — writhing  and 
struggling  as  if  in  pain.  One  of  the  soldiers  went 
to  him  and  found  that  he  was  very  badly  wounded 
in  the  flank  by  a  Minie  ball.  The  poor  creature's 
agony  was  dreadful :  he  would  reach  his  head  up 
as  far  as  possible  into  the  tree  to  which  he  was 
tied,  and  cling  with  his  mouth,  while  his  neck 
and  body  quivered  with  the  pain.  Every  motion, 
instead  of  being  violent,  as  most  horses  would 
have  been  when  wounded,  had  a  stately  grace  of 
eloquent  suffering  that  is  indescribable.  How  I 
wanted  to  go  to  him  and  pat  and  soothe  him ! 
The  halter  was  taken  off,  and  he  was  turned  free. 
Going  to  a  tree,  he  leaned  his  body  against  it,  and 
moaned,  with  half  closed  eyes,  shivering  frequently 


MY    CAVE    LIFE   IN    VICKSBTJKG.  123 

throughout  his  huge  body,  as  if  the  pain  were  too 
great  to  bear. 

Then,  turning  his  head  entirely  around,  he 
would  gaze  at  the  group  of  soldiers  that  stood 
pityingly  near,  as  if  he  was  looking  for  human 
sympathy.  The  master  refused  to  have  him  shot, 
hoping  he  would  recover  ;  but  it  must  have  been 
evident  that  this  day  was  the  last  of  his  strong, 
proud  life :  the  noble  black  was  doomed.  After 
the  gentle  faithfulness  of  his  service,  it  was  cruel 
to  prolong  his  suffering  :  after  the  simple  meals  of 
mulberry  leaves,  with  scarcely  sustenance  enough 
to  maintain  life,  why  should  this  pain  and  agony 
be  permitted  to  rack  his  already  weakened  body  ? 
These  truths  were  set  aside,  and  the  master  look 
ed  with  pity ;  yet,  it  seemed,  a  selfish  pity. 

Becoming  restless  with  the  pain,  the  poor 
brute  staggered  blindly  on.  And  now  my  eyes 
fill  with  tears ;  for  he  has  fallen,  with  a  weary 
moan,  between  the  banks  of  the  little  rivulet  in 
the  ravine,  his  head  thrown  on  the  sod,  and  the 
bright,  intelligent  eye  turned  still  upon  the  men 
who  have  been  his  comrades  in  many  a  battle, 
standing  still  near  him. 

Poor  fellow ! — those  low  and  frequent  moans 


124  MY    CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

and  trembling  limbs  tell  them  that  death  has 
stricken  you  already — that  you  are  far  beyond 
human  sympathy.  In  the  midst  of  all  the  falling 
shells,  cannot  one  reach  him,  giving  him  peace 
and  death  ?  I  see  an  axe  handed  to  one  of  the  by 
standers,  and  turn  suddenly  away  from  the  scene. 
The  quick,  soft  stroke  !  I  know  it  must  be  over. 
Again  I  look,  and  the  glossy,  black  body  is  being 
taken  out  from  our  sight,  to  be  replaced  by  new 
sufferings,  and  to  be  forgotten  in  new  incidents. 

There  is  one  missile,  were  I  a  soldier,  that 
would  totally  put  me  to  rout — and  that  is  a 
shrapnell  shell.  Only  those  who  have  heard 
several  coming  at  a  time,  exploding  near,  and 
scattering  hundreds  of  small  balls  around  them, 
can  tell  how  fearful  the  noise  they  make — a  wild 
scream — a  clattering  and  whizzing  sound  that 
never  fails  in  striking  terror  to  my  heart !  It 
seemed  sometimes  that  as  many  as  fifty  balls  fell 
immediately  around  our  door.  I  could  have  sent 
out  at  any  time,  near  the  entrance  of  our  cave, 
and  had  a  bucketful  of  balls  from  shrapnell  and 
the  Minie  rifle,  picked  up  in  the  shortest  possible 
time. 

One  old,  gray-headed,  cheerful-hearted  soldier, 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   ES"   YICKSBUEG.  125 

whom  I  had  talked  with  often,  was  passing  through 
the  ravine  for  water,  immediately  opposite  our 
cave.  A  Minie  ball  struck  him  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  leg ;  he  coolly  stooped  down,  tied  his 
handkerchief  around  it,  and  passed  on.  So  con 
stantly  fell  projectiles  of  all  descriptions,  that  I 
became  almost  indifferent  to  them.  Only  the 
hideous  noise  of  numerous  shrapnell  could  startle 
me  now.  Generally  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing  the  shrapnell  were  thrown  more  furiously 
than  at  any  other  time  through  the  day.  At 
about  seven,  the  Minie  balls  began  falling,  ac 
companied  by  Parrott,  canister,  solid  shot,  and 
shrapnell  shells  ;  and  through  every  minute  in  the 
day  this  constant  play  of  artillery  and  musketry 
was  kept  up  from  the  Federal  lines.  General 
Pemberton  had  ordered  the  Confederate  batteries 
to  remain  silent,  unless  particular  orders  were 
given  to  fire,  or  an  assault  was  made  on  the 
works. 

One  afternoon  I  remember  so  vividly  !    One  of 

the  surgeons  of  the  staff  was  chatting  with  M , 

when  I  heard  a  rushing  and  peculiar  sound,  as  if 
some  one  were  rapidly  cutting  through  the  air, 
near  and  around  me,  with  a  sword 


126  MY    CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

Both  the  doctor  and  M sprang  to  their 

feet,  as  the  sound  grew  more  confused,  seeming 
as  if  the  sudden  rush  of  a  volume  of  water  was 

pouring  down  the  hill.  I  saw  M turn  to  the 

doctor  and  say :  "  They're  coming  !  "  I  dared  not 
ask  any  questions ;  yet,  I  at  first  supposed  the  in- 

trenchments  were  taken.  M ,  without  a  word, 

drew  on  another  coat  and  threw  the  linen  one  he 
had  worn  to  me,  with  a  laugh.  I  suppose  I  must 
have  looked  rather  wild ;  for  I  could  not  tell  or 
imagine  the  meaning  of  the  confusing  and  singular 
noise  around  us.  Taking  his  sword,  M start 
ed  immediately.  I  feared  every  moment  that  he 
would  fall,  for  the  balls  fell  like  hail.  I  turned 
to  the  doctor,  questioning :  "  Are  they  coming 
over  the  hill  ? "  He  laughed,  and  said : 

"  Oh  !  no  ;  they  are  only  making  a  charge  on 
the  intrenchments  ;  and  the  rushing  in  the  air  you 
hear  is  the  numerous  small  balls  flying  over  us." 

The  strange,  bewildering  sound  lasted  for  some 
time.  The  doctor  soon  took  his  leave,  saying  that 
the  wounded  would  be  brought  in  for  him  to  at 
tend.  I  sat  for  half  an  hour  hearing  the  constant 
rushing  and  surging  around  me,  and  the  quick 
dropping  of  balls  ;  the  ground  trembled  from  the 


MY    CAVE    LIFE   IN    VICKSBUBG.  127 

frequent  discharge  of  the  Confederate  cannon. 
"What  was  likely  to  be  the  result,  I  could  not  tell ; 
for  the  ravine  below,  lately  so  full  of  animation, 
seemed  to  be  totally  deserted,  save  now  and  then 
the  rapid  gallop  of  a  courier  through  the  shower  of 
balls  along  the  road.  Soon  there  came  a  gradual 
cessation,  quieting  more  and  more  down  to  the  old 
interval  of  a  minute  between  the  discharges  ;  soon 
M came  home,  reporting  one  or  two  wound 
ed  and  one  killed.  It  seems  miraculous  to  me 
that,  amid  such  a  shower  of  balls,  so  few  persons 
should  be  injured. 


CHAPTEE  XXIII. 

AN  UNHAPPY  ACCIDENT — THE   UNFORTUNATE   LADIES  OF  TICKSBUBG 

APPROACH   OF  MORTAR   SHELLS   NEAR  THE   INTRENCHMENTS. 

A  FEW  days  after  the  assault  on  the  Confederate 
fortifications,  a  sad  accident  cast  a  gloom  over  all 
the  little  community  encamped  in  the  ravine — 
officers,  soldiers,  and  servants  :  A  soldier,  named 
Henry,  had  noticed  my  little  girl  often,  bring 
ing  her  flowers  at  one  time,  an  apple  at  another, 
and  again  a  young  mocking  bird,  and  had  attach 
ed  her  to  him  much  by  these  little  kindnesses. 
Frequently,  on  seeing  him  pass,  she  would  call  his 
name,  and  clap  her  hands  gleefully,  as  he  rode 
the  general's  handsome  horse  for  water,  causing 
him  to  prance  past  the  cave  for  her  amusement. 
She  called  my  attention  to  him  one  morning,  say 
ing  :  "  O  mamma,  look  at  Henny's  horse  how  he 
plays  !  "  He  was  riding  a  small  black  horse  that 
was  exceedingly  wild,  and  striving  to  accustom  it 
to  the  rapid  evolutions  of  the  Texas  troops,  turn- 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICK8BTJRG.  129 

ing  in  his  saddle  to  grasp  something  from  the 
ground,  as  he  moved  speedily  on.  Soon  after,  he 
rode  the  horse  for  water ;  and  I  saw  him  return 
and  fasten  it  to  a  tree. 

Afterward  I  saw  him  come  down  the  hill  op 
posite,  with  an  un  exploded  shrapnell  shell  in  his 
hand.  In  a  few  moments  I  heard  a  quick  explo 
sion  in  the  ravine,  followed  by  a  cry — a  sudden, 
agonized  cry.  I  ran  to  the  entrance,  and  saw  a 
courier,  whom  I  had  noticed  frequently  passing 
by,  roll  slowly  over  into  the  rivulet  of  the  ravine 
and  lie  motionless,  at  a  little  distance :  Henry — 
oh,  poor  Henry ! — holding  out  his  mangled  arms 
— the  hands  torn  and  hanging  from  the  bleed 
ing,  ghastly  wrists — a  fearful  wound  in  his  head — 
the  blood  pouring  from  his  wounds.  Shot,  gasp 
ing,  wild,  he  staggered  around,  crying  piteously, 
"  Where  are  you,  boys  ?  O  boys,  where  are  you  ? 
Oh,  I  am  hurt !  I  am  hurt !  Boys,  come  to  me  ! 
— come  to  me  !  God  have  mercy  !  Almighty 
God,  have  mercy  1  " 

My  little  girl  clung  to  my  dress,  saying,  "  O 
mamma,   poor  Henny's  killed !     Now  he'll   die, 
mamma.    Oh,  poor  Henny  !  "    I  carried  her  away 
from  the  painful  sight. 
6* 


130  MY    GAVE   LIFE    IN    VICKSBURG. 

My  first  impulse  was  to  run  down  to  them  with 
the  few  remedies  I  possessed.  Then  I  thought  of 
the  crowd  of  soldiers  around  the  men ;  and  if 

M should  come  and  see  me  there — the  only 

lady — he  might  think  I  did  wrong  ;  so  I  sent  my 
servant,  with  camphor  and  other  slight  remedies  I 
possessed,  and  turned  into  my  cave,  with  a  sick 
ened  heart. 

In  a  few  moments,  the  litters  pass  by,  going 
toward  the  hospital,  the  blood  streaming  from 
that  of  Henry,  who  still  moaned  and  cried  "  for 
the  boys  to  come  to  him,"  and  "  for  God  to  pity 
him." 

Bat  the  other  bore  the  still,  motionless  body 
of  the  young  courier,  who,  in  the  strength  of  his 
life,  had  been  so  suddenly  stricken.  It  seems 
that  the  two  men  had  been  trying  to  take  out  the 
screw  from  an  unexploded  shell  for  the  purpose 
of  securing  the  powder ;  in  turning  it,  the  fuse 
had  become  ignited,  communicating  the  fire  to 
the  powder,  and  the  fatal  explosion  ensued. 

Henry  had  been  struck  in  the  head  by  a  frag 
ment — his  hands  torn  from  his  arms  ;  one  or  two 
.raginents  had  also  lodged  in  his  body.  The 
courier  had  been  struck  in  two  places  in  his  head, 


MY   CAVE   LIFE  IN   VICKSBIJKG.  131 

and  a  number  of  balls  had  entered  his  body.  Poor 
soldier !  his  mother  lived  in  Yazoo  City ;  and 
he  was  her  only  son.  So  near  was  she,  yet  un 
able  to  hold  his  head  and  set  the  seal  of  her  love 
on  his  lips  ere  the  breath  fled  from  them  forever  ! 
He  lived  until  the  sun  went  down,  speaking  no 
word — making  no  moan  ;  only  the  quickly  drawn 
breath  told  that  life  still  flickered  in  the  mangled 
body.  Henry  died,  also,  that  night,  still  uncon 
scious  of  the  sorrowful  comrades  around  his  bed 
— still  calling  on  God  to  pity  him. 

After  the  bodies  of  the  wounded  men  had  been 
carried  away,  we  heard  loud  wailings  and  cries  in 
the  direction  of  the  city.  I  was  told  a  negro 
woman,  in  walking  through  the  yard,  had  been 
struck  by  a  fragment  of  shell,  and  instantly  kill 
ed.  The  screams  of  the  women  of  Yicksburg 
were  the  saddest  I  have  ever  heard.  The  wailings 
over  the  dead  seemed  full  of  a  heart-sick  agony. 
I  cannot  attempt  to  describe  the  thrill  of  pity, 
mingled  with  fear,  that  pierced  my  soul,  as  sud 
denly  vibrating  through  the  air  would  come  these 
sorrowful  shrieks  ! — these  pitiful  moans  ! — some 
times  almost  simultaneously  with  the  explosion 
of  a  shell.  This  anguish  over  the  dead  and 


132  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBHRG. 

ed  was  particularly  low  and  mournful,  perhaps 
from  the  depression.  Many  women  were  utterly 
sick  through  constant  fear  and  apprehension.  It 
is  strange  that  the  ladies  were  almost  constantly 
in  caves,  and  yet,  did  one  go  out  for  a  short  time, 
she  was  almost  certain  to  be  wounded ;  while  the 
officers  and  soldiers  rode  and  walked  about,  with 
very  little  destruction  of  life  ensuing. 

An  officer  was  telling  me  of  two  soldiers  near 
his  camp,  who  had  been  severely  wounded  by 
Minie  balls — one  shot  through  the  hand  and 
lung  ;  the  other  through  the  side. 

A  new  cause  for  apprehension  came  to  me 
about  this  time  :  the  mortar  boats  were  endeavor 
ing  to  throw  their  bombs  as  far  as  the  intrench- 
rnents,  and  almost  succeeded.  I  could  see  them  at 
night  falling  near  the  opposite  hill ;  and  I  was  in 
a  constant  state  of  trepidation,  lest  they  should  be 
cast  still  nearer  us.  After  witnessing  the  brilliant 
streams  of  light  that  they  created  in  the  heavens, 
one  night,  and  feeling  repeatedly  thankful  that 
they  always  fell  short  of  the  hill  we  inhabited,  I 
gradually  grew  sleepy  in  utter  loneliness,  for 

M seldom  finished  receiving  reports  until 

eleven.  I  wearily  turned  to  the  little  mattress  on 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTJRG.  133 

the  floor,  said  my  prayers,  and  retired.  I  had 
been  sleeping  some  time,  for  the  moon  was  shining 
brightly,  when  I  was  awakened  by  loud  cries  and 
screams  :  "  Where  shall  we  go  ?  Oh  !  where  shall 
we  go  ?  "  My  immediate  conclusion  was  that 
some  woman  had*  been  killed  or  wounded,  as 
every  now  and  then  I  could  see  the  mortar 
shells  dropping  on  the  hill  opposite.  I  therefore 
thought  that  I  had  been  spared  in  Yicksburg,  as 
long  as  I  reasonably  could  hope,  from  the  variety 
of  changes  through  which  I  had  passed  ;  and  im 
mediately  I  was  seized  with  a  severe  panic.  If 
shells  had  not  been  falling  from  the  battle  field 
also,  I  fear  I  should  have  started  in  that  direc 
tion — so  great  was  my  dread  of  the  mortars  ! — and 
run,  I  cared  not  where,  out  of  their  range. 

But  the  counter  awe  of  Parrott  shells  kept  me 
where  I  was.  I  sat  up  in  bed  in  a  fearful  state  of 
excitement ;  called  M again  and  again,  with 
out  the  slightest  response ;  at  last,  a  sleepily  ut 
tered  "  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  gave  me  an  oppor 
tunity  of  informing  him  that  we  would  all  be 
killed,  and  telling  him,  while  the  cold  moisture 
of  fear  broke  out  over  my  forehead,  that  the  mor 
tar  shells  were  nearer  than  ever,  and  that  the  next 


134:  MY   GATE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

one  would  probably  fall  upon  our  cave.  Awaken 
ed  at  last  to  my  distressed  state  of  mind,  and 
hearing  me  say  that  I  knew  some  woman  had 
been  killed,  he  got  up,  dressed,  took  up  his  cap, 
and  went  out  to  see  what  had  happened,  telling 
me  he  would  return  shortly — looking  back,  laugh 
ing  as  he  went,  and  saying  to  me  that  I  was  fear 
fully  demoralized  for  so  good  a  soldier.  He  soon 
returned,  telling  me  that  a  negro  man  had  been 
killed  at  the  entrance  of  a  cave  a  little  beyond 
us,  toward  the  city ;  that  his  mistress,  wife,  and 
the  young  ladies  of  the  family  were  very  badly 
frightened,  having  taken  refuge  in  the  adjutant's 
office. 


CHAPTER  XXIY. 

DEATH   OP   A  FAITHFUL   SERVANT — BLOWING   UP   OF   A  FORT — LOSS  OF 
PROMINENT   OFFICERS SURRENDER   OF   VICKSBURG. 

THE  next  day,  the  family  were  invited  up  to  our 
cave ;  and  the  lady  told  me,  with  tears,  of  the 
death  of  the  faithful  old  man,  who  had  served  her 
mother  before  her.  The  morning  of  the  day  he 
died,  he  called  her  to  him,  and  said  :  "  Mistess,  I 
feel  like  I  ain't  gwin'  to  live  much  longer.  Tell 
young  master,  when  you  see  him,  that  I've  been 
praying  for  him  dis  day ;  tell  him  it  smites  my 
heart  mightily  to  think  I  won't  see  his  young 
face  dis  day  with  the  childern.  Please  tell  the 
young  folks,  mistess,  to  come ;  and  let  me  pray 
with  them."  "  Oh !  uncle  !  "  the  mistress  answer 
ed,  "  don't  talk  that  way ;  you  will  live  many 
years  yet,  I  hope."  The  young  ladies  were  call- 


136  MT   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

ed,  and  knelt,  while  he  prayed  for  them  and  all 
he  loved,  shaking  hands  with  thenf,  and  speaking 
to  each  one  separately,  as  they  left.  His  cave  was 
next  his  mistress's.  That  night  he  sat  smoking 
his  pipe  near  the  entrance,  when  a  mortar  shell, 
exploding  near,  sent  a  fragment  into  the  old  man's 
side,  rending  it  open,  and  tearing  away  his  hip. 
He  lived  a  few  moments,  and  was  carried  into 
the  cave.  Turning  to  his  mistress,  while  he  shook 
his  head,  he  said  :  "  Don't  stay  here,  mistess.  I 
said  the  Lord  wanted  me."  And  so  the  good  old 
Christian  died.  When  he  had  breathed  his  last, 
a  sudden  panic  seized  them,  for  shell  after  shell 
fell  near  them ;  and  they  all  ran.  Some  of  the 
gentlemen,  hearing  them  cry,  brought  them  to 
headquarters. 

The  next  day,  the  news  came  that  one  of  the 
forts  to  the  left  of  us  had  been  undermined  and 
blown  up,  killing  sixty  men ;  then  of  the  death 
of  the  gallant  Colonel  Irwin,  of  Missouri ;  and 
again,  the  next  day,  of  the  death  of  the  brave  old 
General  Green,  of  Missouri. 

"We  were  now,  swiftly  nearing  the  end  of  our 
siege  life :  the  rations  had  nearly  all  been  given 
out.  For  the  last  few  days  I  had  been  sick  ;  still 


MY    CAVE    LIFE    IN   VICKSBURG.  137 

I  tried  to  overcome  the  languid  feeling  of  utter 
prostration.  My  little  one  had  swung  in  her 
hammock,  reduced  in  strength,  with  a  low  fever 

flushing  in  her  face.  M was  all  anxiety,  I 

could  plainly  see.  A  soldier  brought  up,  one 
morning,  a  little  jaybird,  as  a  plaything  for  the 
child.  After  playing  with  it  for  a  short  time,  she 
turned  wearily  away.  "  Miss  Mary,"  said  the 
servant,  "  she's  hungry ;  let  me  make  her  some 
soup  from  the  bird."  At  first  I  refused  :  the  poor 
little  plaything  should  not  die  ;  then,  as  I  thought 
of  the  child,  I  half  consented.  With  the  utmost 
haste,  Cinth  disappeared;  and  the  next  time  she 
appeared,  it  was  with  a  cup  of  soup,  and  a  little 
plate,  on  which  lay  the  white  meat  of  the  poor 
little  bird. 

On  Saturday  a  painful  calm  prevailed :  there 
had  been  a  truce  proclaimed ;  and  so  long  had 
the  constant  firing  been  kept  up,  that  the  stillness 
now  was  absolutely  oppressive. 

At  ten  o'clock  General  Bowen  passed  by, 
dressed  in  full  uniform,  accompanied  by  Colonel 
Montgomery,  and  preceded  by  a  courier  bearing 

a  white  flag.  M came  by,  and  asked  me  if  I 

would  like  to  walk  out ;  so  I  put  on  my  bonnet 


138  MY   GATE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG. 

and  sullied  forth  beyond  the  terrace,  for  the  first 
time  since  I  entered.  On  the  hill  above  us,  the 
earth  was  literally  covered  with  fragments  of 
shell — Parrott,  shrapnell,  canister ;  besides  lead 
in  all  shapes  and  forms,  and  a  long  kind  of  solid 
shot,  shaped  like  a  small  Parrott  shell.  Minie 
balls  lay  in  every  direction,  flattened,  dented,  and 
bent  from  the  contact  with  trees  and  pieces  of 
wood  in  their  flight.  The  grass  seemed  deadened 
—  the  ground  ploughed  into  furrows  in  many 
places ;  while  scattered  over  all,  like  giants'  pep 
per,  in  numberless  quantity,  were  the  shrapnell 
balls. 

I  could  now  see  how  very  near  to  the  rifle  pits 
my  cave  lay :  only  a  small  ravine  between  the  two 
hills  separated  us.  In  about  two  hours,. General 
Bowen  returned.  No  one  knew,  or  seemed  to 
know,  why  a  truce  had  been  made ;  but  all  be 
lieved  that  a  treaty  of  surrender  was  pending. 
Nothing  was  talked  about  among  the  officers  but 
the  all-engrossing  theme.  Many  wished  to  cut 
their  way  out  and  make  the  risk  their  own  ;  but  I 
secretly  hoped  that  no  such  bloody  hazard  would 
be  attempted. 

The  next  morning,  M came  up,  with  a  pale 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  139 

face,  saying :  "  It's  all  over  !  The  white  flag  floats 
from  our  forts  !  Vicksburg  has  surrendered  !  " 

He  put  on  his  uniform  coat,  silently  buckled  on 
his  sword,  and  prepared  to  take  out  the  men,  to 
deliver  up  their  arms  in  front  of  the  fortification. 

I  felt  a  strange  unrest,  the  quiet  of  the  day 
was  so  unnatural.  I  walked  up  and  down  the 
cave  until  M returned.  The  day  was  ex 
tremely  warm  ;  and  he  came  with  a  violent  head 
ache.  He  told  me  that  the  Federal  troops  had 
acted  splendidly ;  they  were  stationed  opposite  the 
place  where  the  Confederate  troops  marched  up 
and  stacked  their  arms ;  and  they  seemed  to  feel 
sorry  for  the  poor  fellows  who  had  defended  the 
place  for  so  long  a  time.  Far  different  from  what 
he  had  expected,  not  a  jeer  or  taunt  came  from 
any  one  of  the  Federal  soldiers.  Occasionally,  a 
cheer  would  be  heard ;  but  the  majority  seemed 
to  regard  the  poor  unsuccessful  soldiers  with  a 
generous  sympathy. 

After  the  surrender,  the  old  gray-headed  soldier, 
in  passing  on  the  hill  near  the  cave,  stopped,  and, 
touching  his  hat,  said  : 

"  It's  a  sad  day  this,  madam  ;  I  little  thought 
we'd  come  to  it,  when  we  first  stopped  in  the  in- 


14:0  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG. 

trenchments.  I  hope  you'll  yet  be  happy,  madam, 
after  all  the  trouble  you've  seen." 

To  which  I  mentally  responded,  "  Amen." 
The  poor,  hunchback  soldier,  who  had  been 
sick,  and  who,  at  home  in  Southern  Missouri,  is 
worth  a  million  of  dollars,  I  have  been  told,  yet 
within  Vicksburg  has  been  nearly  starved,  walk 
ed  out  to-day  in  the  pleasant  air,  for  the  first  time 
for  many  days. 

I  stood  in  the  doorway  and  caught  my  first 
sight  of  the  Federal  uniform  since  the  surrender. 
That  afternoon  the  road  was  filled  with  them, 
walking  about,  looking  at  the  forts  and  the  head 
quarter  horses  :  wagons  also  filled  the  road,  drawn 
by  the  handsome  United  States  horses.  Poor 

M ,  after  keeping  his  horse  upon  mulberry 

leaves  during  the  forty-eight  days,  saw  him  no 
more  !  After  the  surrender  in  the  evening, 
George  rode  into  the  city  on  his  mule :  thinking 

to  "  shine,"  as  the  negroes  say,  he  rode  M 's 

handsome,  silver-mounted  dragoon-saddle.  I  could 
not  help  laughing  when  he  returned,  with  a  sorry 
face,  reporting  himself  safe,  but  the  saddle  gone. 

M questioned  and  .requestioned  him,  aghast 

at  his  loss  ;  for  a  saddle  was  a  valuable  article  in 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBUKG.  141 

our  little  community ;  and  George,  who  felt  as 
badly  as  any  one,  said :  "  I  met  a  Yankee,  who 
told  me  :  *  Git  down  off  dat  mule ;  I'm  gwiii'  to 
hab  dat  saddle.'  I  said  :  £  No ;  I  ain't  gwin'  to 
do  no  such  thing.'  He  took  out  his  pistol,  and  I 
jumped  down." 

So  Mister  George  brought  back  to  M 

a  saddle  that  better  befitted  his  mule  than  the 
one  he  rode  off  on  —  a  much  worn,  common 

affair,  made  of  wood.  I  felt  sorry  for  M . 

That  evening  George  brought  evil  news  again  : 
another  horse  had  been  taken.  His  remaining 
horse  and  his  only  saddle  finished  the  news  of 
the  day. 

The  next  morning,  Monday,  as  I  was  passing 
through  the  cave,  I  saw  something  stirring  at  the 
base  of  one  of  the  supports  of  the  roof :  taking  a 
second  look,  I  beheld  a  large  snake  curled  be 
tween  the  earth  and  the  upright  post.  I  went  out 

quickly  and  sent  one  of  the  servants  for  M , 

who,  coming  up  immediately,  took  up  his  sword 
and  fastened  one  of  the  folds  of  the  reptile  to  the 
post.  It  gave  one  quick  dart  toward  him,  with 
open  jaws.  Fortunately,  the  length  of  the  sword 
was  greater  than  the  upper  length  of  body ;  and 


142  MY   CAVE    LIFE    IN    VICKSBTJBG. 

the  snake  fell  to  the  earth   a  few  inches   from 

M ,  who  set  his  heel  firmly  on  it,  and  severed 

the  head  from  the  body  with  the  sword.  I  have 
never  seen  so  large  a  snake  ;  it  was  fully  as  large 
round  the  body  as  the  bowl  of  a  good-sized  glass 
tumbler,  and  over  two  yards  long. 


CHAPTER  XXY. 

A  FRIGHT GEORGE  MY  PROTECTOR — A  POLITE  SOLDIER  GETS  THE 

TENT  FLY. 

IN  the  afternoon,  M went  into  the  city,  with 

some  of  the  officers,  to  make  arrangements  for  me. 
I  was  much  amused,  though  I  did  not  let  them 
see  it,  as  they  set  off  on  their  poor  mulberry-fed 

horses.     M had  been  presented  by  some  one, 

after  the  loss  of  his  horse,  with  a  little,  lame,  sub 
dued-looking  animal,  to  whom  food  of  any  kind 
seemed  a  rarity ;  and  the  poor  horse  ambled  along 
as  if  he  considered  his  weight  a  great  affliction. 
Our  whole  little  household  had  been  drawn  out 
to  witness  the  departure  of  the  brilliant  (?)  caval 
cade. 

Afterward,  as  I  sat  with  a  book  at  the  en 
trance,  I  heard  steps,  and,  looking  up,  I  saw  a 
large,  burly  negro,  with  a  most  disagreeable  face, 


144:  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBURG. 

dressed  in  Federal  uniform,  and  armed,  coming 
up  the  little  path  that  led  to  the  cave.  As  he 
advanced  toward  me,  I  sprang  to  my  feet ;  but 
George,  who  was  luckily  near,  crossed  over  from 
the  "  sassafras  bed,"  carving  knife  in  hand,  with 
which  he  was  digging  some  of  the  root.  Stand 
ing  between  us,  he  said  :  "  Where  are  you  gwin', 
old  man  ?  "  "  None  your  business,"  he  returned, 
pausing  a  moment.  I  was  just  on  the  point  of 
calling  for  some  of  the  gentlemen  at  headquarters, 
when  he  turned  and  went  round  the  cave  on  the 
hill.  "  I'll  make  dis  knife  show  you  what's  your 
business,"  growled  George.  Poor  George !  he 
had  been  my  faithful  defender  throughout  all  my 
vicissitudes  in  Yicksburg. 

Soon  after,  George  came  to  me  in  a  great  state 
of  excitement,  and  said :  "  Oh !  Miss  Mary,  a 
Yankee  soldier  was  just  going  with  our  tent  fly 
from  the  top  of  the  cave,  and  I  made  him  stop 
and  leave  it."  A  Federal  soldier  came  down  the 
side  of  the  hill,  stopped,  and  took  my  little  daugh 
ter's  hand  and  said  some  pleasant  words  to  her ; 
turned  to  me,  touching  his  hat,  with  a  smile,  and 
said,  "  Good  morning."  I  bowed  in  return,  while 
a  lucky  thought  came  to  me :  Here  was  a  kind- 


MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN  VICKSBUKG.  145 

hearted,  polite  soldier ;  why  not  let  him  take  the 
tent  fly,  in  the  place  of  some  undeserving  man  ? 
So  I  said  :  "  Soldier,  would  you  like  a  tent  fly  ?  " 
He  answered  :  "  Oh  !  yes,  madam  ;  I  would  like 
one  very  much."  So  I  sent  George  to  get  it  for 
him.  He  expressed  himself  very  grateful — dis 
liked  to  take  it,  fearful  of  robbing  us ;  but  I  as 
sured  him  he  was  welcome  ;  so  he  again  bade  me 
good  morning,  and  carried  off  his  acquisition. 

The  Confederate  troops  were  being  marched 
into  Vicksburg  to  take  the  parole  that  the  terms 
of  the  treaty  of  surrender  demanded.  In  a  few 
days  they  would  leave  the  city  they  had  held  so 
long. 

On  Friday  they  began  their  march  toward  the 
South  ;  and  on  Saturday  poor  George  came  to  me, 
and  said  he  had  put  on  a  pair  of  blue  pants,  and, 
thinking  they  would  take  him  for  a  Federal  soldier, 

had  tried  to  slip  through  after  M ,  but  he  was 

turned  back ;  so  he  came,  begging  me  to  try  and 
get  him  a  pass  :  the  effort  was  made  ;  and  to  this 
day  I  do  not  know  whether  he  ever  reached 
M or  not. 

Saturday  evening,  Yicksburg,  with  her  ter 
raced  hills — with  her  pleasant  homes  and  sad 
7 


146  MY   CAVE   LIFE   IN   VICKSBTTEG. 

memories,  passed  from  my  view  in  the  gathering 
twilight — passed,  but  the  river  flowed  on  the 
same,  and  the  stars  shone  out  with  the  same  calm 
light !  But  the  many  eyes — 0  Yicksburg  ! — 
that  have  gazed  on  thy  terraced  hills — on  thy 
green  and  sunny  gardens — on  the  flow  of  the 
river — the  calm  of  the  stars — those  eyes!  how. 
many  thou  hast  closed  on  the  world  forever  ! 


LETTEES 

OF     TRIAL      AND      TRAVEL. 


LETTEES. 


GAYOSO  HOUSE,  MEMPHIS,  April,  1862. 

MY  DEAK  J : 

I  am  just  in  from  dinner ;  and  you  would  be 
amused  to  see  the  different  faces — I  might  as  well 
say  the  different  appetites  ;  for  the  Army  of  Mis 
souri  and  Arkansas  have  been  undergoing  rigorous 
fasts  of  late ;  and  the  little  episode  of  the  battle 
of  Elkhorn  and  the  consequent  privations  have 
helped  not  a  little  the  gaunt  appearance  of  these 
military  characters.  All  eat,  eat  rapidly ;  from 
General  Y D down  to  the  smallest  lieu 
tenant,  whose  manner  of  playing  the  epicure  over 
the  different  dishes  ordered,  is  a  study.  The  con 
fidential  consultations  with  the  waiter  over  them, 
together  with  the  knowing  unsconsciousness  of 


150  LETTERS    OF    TEIAL   AND    TRAVEL. 

bestowing  his  small  change,  almost  convinces  me 
that  he  is  a  brigadier-general,  or  a  colonel,  at  least. 
You  see  streaming  in  constantly  this  tide  of  hu 
man  beings,  to  eat,  stare  at  the  ladies,  talk,  and 
order  much  wine  in  the  excitement  of  military 
anecdotes ;  for  you  must  understand  that  a  civil 
ian  is  a  "  rara  avis "  amid  the  brilliant  uniforms 
of  the  dining  room.  Yet,  amid  all  this  mass  and 
huge  crowd,  the  majority  are  polished  gentlemen, 
who  have  evidently  seen  much  of  the  world,  and 
who  are  men  of  purpose  and  character. 

General  Y D and  staff  sit  not  far 

from  me — looked  at  rather  jealously  by  the  Mis- 
sourians,  as  ranking  and  commanding  them  over 
their  favorite  general.  Yet,  he  always  treats  the 
old  general  with  the  utmost  consideration  and 

courtesy.     On  the  other  side  sits  General  P , 

with  his  kind,  benevolent  face.  The  poor  old 
gentleman  finds  at  the  table  his  lightest  reserves 
become  his  heaviest  forces  :  nearly  all  his  staff  are 
about  him. 

And,  as  I  sit  half  amused  at  the  expression  of 
some  faces,  and  thinking  deeply  of  the  mute,  yet 
determined  impress  of  character  on  others,  two 
gentlemen  come  in — one  in  plain  citizen's  clothing, 


LETTERS   OF  TRIAL  AND   TRAVEL.  151 

with  heavy  black  beard  and  high  forehead — with 
stooping  gait  and  hands  behind  him.  I  am  told 

he  is   Governor  J ,  of  Missouri.     His  face 

puzzles  me — it  is  thoughtful  and  singular.  By  his 
side,  with  tall,  lithe,  slender  figure,  fully  erect, 

walks  General  J T .     You  will  scarcely 

think  it  possible  that  this  is  the  so-frequently  talk 
ed  of  J T .  I  thought  him  an  ordinary 

man,  did  not  you  ?  Yet,  this  is  anything  but  an 
ordinary  man.  The  keen  dark  eye  sweeps  the 
room  as  he  enters,  taking  us  all  in  at  a  glance — 
a  quick,  daring,  decisive,  resolute  face.  I  can 
make  nothing  more  out  of  him.  Yet,  there  is 
more  of  thought  and  intellect  than  you  see  at  first. 
He  is  dressed  in  fall  uniform,  with  sword  and  sash, 
and  has  quite  a  military  air. 

There  are  many  Saint  Louisians  here ;  you 
see  them  scattered  around  the  tables  quite  plenti 
fully.  General  C is  among  the  number.  He 

sits  at  some  distance,  and  looks  quite  worn  and 
sad.  You  know — do  you  not  ? — that  he  is  the 
father  of  young  Churchill  Clark,  who  was  killed 
at  Elkhorn.  Have  I  ever  told  you  his  history  ? 
It  is  this :  He  graduated  at  West  Point  in  the 
commencement  of  the  war ;  and  knowing  and 


152  LETTEKS   OF  TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

having  a  great  admiration  for  General  P ,  he 

joined  him  at  once  :  he  was  put  in  command  of 
some  artillery ;  and  showing  himself  a  youth  of 
courage  and  ability — for  he  was  only  twenty  year? 
old — his  command  was  increased.  Throughout 
the  constant  trials  and  sufferings  of  the  campaign, 
he  showed  himself  equal  in  courage,  daring,  and 
judgment,  to  many  older  heads.  He  was  particu 
larly  beloved  by  General  P .  At  Elkhorn, 

as  ever,  his  battery  sustained  itself  with  coolness 
and  bravery.  As  the  general  rode  by,  he  said 
some  cheering  words  to  young  Clark,  who  took  off 
his  cap  and  waved  it,  saying,  "  General,  we  will 
hold  our  own,"  or  words  to  that  effect,  when  a  ball 
sped  from  the  enemy,  and  crashed  in  the  young, 
ardent  brain  as  he  spoke. 

I  have  been  told  that  the  general  was  affected 
to  tears.  He  knelt  by  his  side,  vainly  seeking  for 
some  trace  of  the  strong,  young  life,  but  the 
pulses  were  stilled  forever ;  and  Churchill  Clark 
lay  a  stiffened  corpse  in  the  long,  wet  grass  at 
Elkhorn.  And  so  his  father  sits  silent  and  alone, 
and  all  respect  the  grief  that  none  can  assuage. 

In  a  few  days  we  leave.  The  gentlemen  all  go 
to  Corinth,  where  a  battle,  in  all  probability,  will 


LETTERS   OF   TEIAL   AND   TKAYEL.  153 

take  place  before  long.  Fort  Pillow  can  hardly 
hold  out,  under  the  daily  bombardment  that  we 
hear  from  the  gunboats  ;  and  if  it  falls,  Memphis, 
on  taking  leave  of  the  Confederate  officers,  will 
usher  in  the  Federal  to  quarters  in  the  Gayoso. 
Adieu. 


154  LETTERS    OF    TRIAL   AND    TRAVEL. 


MEMPHIS,  April. 

DEAR  J : 

Again  I  write  you  from  the  Gayoso  House, 
which  still    teems  with  Missourians,  and    many 


parlor  is  filled  with  ladies  from  morning  until 
night.  I  have  been  told  that  on  one  occasio~ 
some  ladies,  who  were  the  reverse  of  beautiful, 
were  coming  in  to  see  him,  when  he  turned  to 
one  of  his  staff  officers,  and  told  him  that  it  was 
his  duty  to  assist  him — that  here  was  an  oppor 
tunity  :  he  must  kiss  these  ladies  for  him ;  but 
the  officer  was  politely  deaf  until  too  late. 

It  is  astonishing  to  see  how  ladies  do  flock  to 
see  the  old  general ;  and  all  kiss  him,  as  a  matter 
of  course.  I  rode  out  to  the  camp  of  the  Mis 
sourians  with  M ,  a  few  mornings  since.  It  is 

pleasantly  situated  near  the  bank  of  the  river. 
The  men  seem  to  be  in  good  spirits ;  although 
moving  them  across  the  Mississippi  has  been  an 
unpopular  act.  The  poor  fellows  are  being  taken 
out  to  Corinth  as  fast  as  transportation  can  be 
furnished  them.  The  compliment  is  paid  them 
of  being  placed  in  the  most  dangerous  position  ; 


LETTERS  OF  TKIAL  AND  TEAYEL.       155 

for  we  daily  expect  an  attack  from  the  Federal 
forces  on  Corinth.  ^ 

Would  you  like  to  see  those  you  love  com 
plimented  in  this  way  ?  You  can  form  no  idea 
of  the  love  and  devotion  shown  by  the  Missouri 
troops  for  their  general.  I  happened  to  be  stand 
ing  near  a  window  at  the  end  of  the  hall,  last 
evening,  as  some  regiments  passed  by  the  Gayoso 
on  their  way  out  to  the  depot,  bound  for  Corinth. 

General  P stood  out  on  the  veranda  as  they 

passed  by,  and  shouts  and  cheers  for  the  old 
general  and  Missouri  rent  the  air. 

General  J T called  on  me  this  morn 
ing,  and  amused  me  much  with  some  of  his  ad 
ventures  in  Missouri  last  winter ;  among  others, 
he  told  us  of  his  dash  into  the  little  town  of  Com 
merce  for  food.  His  men  were  ordered  to  take  a 
certain  amount,  lay  down  the  money,  and  leave. 
As  he  sat  on  a  small  horse,  waiting  for  them,  out 
came  the  "  heroine  of  Commerce,"  as  he  called 
the  lady.  I  have  forgotten  her  name ;  yet,  I 
think  it  was  O'Sullivan.  She  walked  up  to  the 
general,  shook  her  clenched  hand  in  his  face,  and 
told  him  he  was  a  robber  and  a  scoundrel.  Her 
husband  pulled  her  by  the  arm  and  tried  to  make 


156  LETTERS   OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

her  desist;  but  she  was  deaf  to  his  entreaties, 
standing  part  of  the  time  on  one  side  of  the  little 
horse,  and  part  of  the  time  on  the  other ;  first, 
shaking  her  clenched  hand  at  him,  and  then 
standing,  with  arms  folded,  calling  him  all  man 
ner  of  names.  Some  of  the  officers  wished  General 

T to  have  her  confined  to  her  own  house  until 

his  departure ;  but  he  laughed,  and  said :  "  ~No ; 
let  her  alone."  She  still  continued  hovering 
around  him,  threatening  and  talking." 

He  said :  "  Oh !  Mrs.  O'Sullivan,  you  are  a 
modest  woman — a  very  modest  woman.  Madam, 
don't  you  think  your  house  stands  in  need  of 
you  ?  "  Powerless  fell  the  irony  :  wherever  he 
went,  he  was  followed  by  the  persistent  Mrs. 
O'Sullivan  ;  stop  where  he  would,  Mrs.  O'Sulli 
van  was  by  his  side,  much  to  the  amusement  of 
his  followers;  go  where  he  would,  up  rose  Mrs. 
O'Sullivan  unexpectedly  at  corners  —  red-faced 
and  bitter — always  in  the  same  belligerent,  defiant 
state. 

A  steamboat  was  seen  coming  down  the  river. 

General  T ordered  his  men  to  hide  behind  a 

woodpile  until  it  came  up,  expecting  to  get  sup 
plies  from  it.  "When  they  thought  themselves 


LETTERS  OF  TEIAL  AND  TRAVEL.       157 

disposed  out  of  sight,  General  T raised  his 

eyes,  and  behold !  some  little  distance  up  the 
river,  stood  the  inevitable  Mrs.  O'Sullivan,  vio 
lently  gesticulating  to  the  boat,  and  crying, 

"  Turn,  turn  !  J" T is  here  ; "  at  the  same 

time  waving  her  apron  and  sun  bonnet,  in  quite  a 
frantic  manner.  The  boat  turned  indeed ;  and 
although  the  scheme  failed,  behind  the  woodpile 

sat  General  T ,  chagrined  at  the  failure,  yet 

laughing  most  heartily  at  the  attitude  and  mal-d- 
propos  appearance  of  Mrs.  O'Sullivan. 

The  hotel  is  crowded  with  military  men : 
many  wounded  at  the  late  battle  of  Shiloh,  going 
around  with  arms  in  slings ;  others  supported  by 
crutches.  The  ladies  are  seemingly  having  a  very 
gay  time :  the  halls  are  filled  with  promenaders, 
and  the  parlors  with  gay  young  couples,  music, 
and  laughter. 

Yet,  a  sudden  surprise  has  come  to  all :  New 
Orleans  has  fallen — an  unexpected  blow  to  most 
of  the  Southern  officers.  I  cannot  but  think,  as 
I  see  all  the  life  and  bustle  around  me,  of  the 
different  scenes  a  week  or  two  hence,  when  the 
fearful  battle  of  Corinth  will  have  taken  place. 
How  many  that  are  now  happy  and  full  of  life, 


158  LETTERS    OF    TKIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

looking  forward  with  confidence  to  the  laurels 
that  may  be  won,  before  the  struggle  is  over  will 
be  silent  forever  in  death  I  or,  worse,  perhaps 
lamed  and  maimed  for  life !  General  Beaure- 
gard's  works  are  said  to  be  fine  ;  yet,  the  Federal 
approaches  are  said  to  be  greatly  superior. 

My  husband  goes  to-morrow  to  Corinth ;  and 

I  will  go  to  O ,  Miss.,  to  await  the  result  of 

what   all  seem  to  think  will  be  a  most  bloody 

struggle.     I  will  write  on  reaching  O ;  until 

then,  farewell. 


LETTERS   OF   TKIAL   AND   TRAVEL.  159 


0 ,  Hay  1st. 

THE  expected  battle  has  not  yet  come  off,  and 
I  am  still  awaiting  the  result;  busying  myself 
about  many  things,  visiting  and  returning  visits 
from  my  old  friends ;  dividing  my  time  between 
the  world  and  the  hospital,  the  lights  and  shades 

of  life.    Ah,  the  shades !    My  dear  J ,  you  can 

little  imagine  how  much  suffering  I  have  witness 
ed  in  the  last  few  weeks — how  much,  that  acts  or 
kind  words  have  no  power  to  mitigate.  There 
have  been  many  wounded  brought  in  from  Corinth, 
many  who  have  died  since  their  arrival,  many 
who  will  die ;  but,  saddest  of  all,  a  young  boy, 
too  young  to  be  a  soldier,  yet  possessing  all  a  sol 
dier's  spirit.  I  walked  into  a  ward,  one  morning, 
that  I  had  visited  the  evening  before — a  ward  of 
very  sick  patients — and  saw  an  old  man  sitting  by 
a  new  cot,  fanning  a  young  boy,  who  lay  with 
flushed  face,  and  burning  eyes  fixed  on  the  ceiling. 
As  I  advanced  toward  them,  the  weather-bronzed 
man  stood  stiffly  erect,  making  me  a  quaint,  half- 
awkward,  military  salute,  saying,  as  he  did  so, 
"My  boy,  ma'am!"  "Is  he  wounded?"  I  asked. 
He  threw  back  the  sheet  that  covered  him,  point- 


160  LETTERS   OF   TKIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

ed  to  the  stump  of  a  limb  amputated  near  the 
thigh :  "  He  has  gained  the  cross,"  he  said,  while 
his  head  grew  more  erect,  as  he  held  back  the 
sheet  with  the  fan,  and  his  eye  shot  out  the  grim 
ghost  of  a  smile. 

A  proud,  iron  soldier  the  man  was,  I  could  see. 
The  boy  was  delirious ;  so  I  shall  tell  you  of  the 
man.  Refusing  to  be  seated  as  long  as  a  lady  re 
mained  standing  in  the  room,  he  stood  stiffly  up 
right  at  the  head  of  the  cot,  keeping  each  fly  from 
the  face  of  the  boy  with  the  tenderness  of  a  moth 
er.  A  limp  brown  hat  was  on  the  side  of  his 
head,  shading  his  eyes,  that  followed  me  in  all 
parts  of  the  room.  A  red  cord  and  tassel  hung 
from  one  side  of  his  hat,  and  gave  him  a  jaunty 
air  that  was  quite  out  of  keeping  with  the  quaint 
stiffness  of  his  manner.  After  speaking  to  the 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  around,  asking  after 
their  wounds  and  wants,  I  returned  to  the  young 
boy's  cot,  and  heard  the  old  man's  story.  Don't 
be  weary  if  I  give  it  to  you ;  he  had  so  much  pride 
in  his  boy,  let  that  be  my  extenuation. 

"  We  belong  to  the  Texas  Hangers,  ma'am,  the 
boy  and  me ;  he  could  ride  as  well  as  the  rest  of 
them,  ma'am,  a  year  ago.  When  the  war  broke 


LETTERS    OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL.  161 

out,  and  we  practised  regularly  like,  lie  was  the 
best  rider  in  the  company — could  pick  anything 
he  wanted  off  the  ground  as  he  was  going.  He's 
only  fourteen,  ma'am — a  fine-grown  lad,  indeed. 
His  mother  was  the  likeliest  woman  I  ever  seed," 
with  a  deprecating  bow  to  me ;  "  he's  got  her  eyes 
— the  finest  eyes  God  ever  made,  she  had,  ma'am. 
She  died  when  quite  young  like,  leaving  him  to 
me,  a  little  shaver,  and  he's  been  by  me  ever 
since.  The  boys  and  me  tried  to  overpersuade  him 
out  of  the  army  ;  'peared  like  he  was  too  young 
for  such  business ;  but  he  wouldn't  hear  to  it,  not 
he,  ma'am,  and  here  he  is,"  passing  his  sleeve 
across  his  eyes. 

"  Well,  ma'am,  so  he  staid  with  us ;  and  when 
we  got  to  Corinth,  General  Beauregard  offered  a 
cross  of  honor  to  the  ones  that  showed  themselves 
the  best  soldiers.  So  our  boys  talked  a  heap  about 
who'd  get  it ;  but  this  boy  says  nothing.  "Well, 
one  day  we  were  ordered  out  to  scout,  and  we 
came  up  with  the  Yankees,  and  we  fit  'em  a  half 
hour  or  so,  when  I  seed  this  youngster  by  my  side 
kind  adrooping  by  a  tree,  but  standing  his  ground. 
Well,  we  routed  them  at  last,  when  I  found  the 
boy's  leg  was  all  shattered,  and  he'd  kept  up  like 


162  LETTERS   OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

nothing  wan't  the  matter.  So  when  we  went  back 
to  Corinth,  it  got  noised  about  like  from  the  sol 
diers  to  the  officers — how  he'd  held  out.  And, 
more'n  all,  the  time  when  his  leg  was  being  cut 
off,  we  couldn't  get  any  chloroform,  morphine,  or 
the  like  :  he  just  sit  up  like  a  brave  lad,  and  off  it 
went,  without  a  word  out  of  him.  So  the  doctors 
they  talked  of  that ;  and  he's  been  notified  that 
he'll  get  the  first  cross,  and  the  boys'll  be  mon 
strous  fond  of  him,  and  feel  most  like  they'd  got 
it  themselves.  If  he'd  get  rid  of  his  fever  and 
pick  up  like,  I'd  be  a  happy  man,"  he  said  anx 
iously. 

Pardon  me  do  I  tire  you ;  but  let  me  take  you 
to  visit  the  sick  prisoners.  The  old  man  that  we 
pass  in  the  hall,  with  his  arm  and  leg  in  a  frame, 
will  never  recover ;  yet  he  does  not  know  it,  and 
frequently  asks  me  if  I  think  he  will  get  a  pension 
when  he  is  well,  if  he  loses  his  leg  and  arm.  He 
persists  in  keeping  his  face  covered  with  a  hand 
kerchief,  raising  it  up  and  peeping  out,  if  he  hears 
my  voice,  each  day,  with  his  usual  salutation: 
"  You've  come,  have  ye  ? "  If  I  bring  any  little 
article  of  food  that  I  think  the  patients  will  relish, 
this  old  man  must  be  fed  by  me,  and  I  am  fre- 


LETTEES   OF    TRIAL   AND   TEAVEL.  163 

quently  amused  at  the  directions  he  gives  me,  for 
he  is  extremely  practical  and  particular  :  "  Now, 
if  you  will  turn  the  spoon  a  little  to  one  side,  I 
will  turn  my  mouth  in  this  direction,  and  the  cus 
tard  will  pass  safely  in."  Poor  man,  without  a 
friend,  both  arms  badly  wounded,  and  leg  shatter 
ed,  dying  by  degrees,  yet  to  the  last  the  handker 
chief  would  be  raised,  and  the  cheery  welcome 
greet  me,  "  Ye're  come,  have  ye  ? " 

I  think  I  can  see  you  looking  around  in  this 
ward  to  learn  which  are  the  prisoners,  for  all  seem 
cheerful  and  talkative.  In  this  cot  by  the  door, 
with  a  wounded  limb  in  a  frame — like  a  huge  lion 
— lies  a  man,  large  whiskered,  large  bodied,  and 
long  limbed,  yet  with  a  pleasant  smile  of  greeting 
as  we  enter  and  make  our  inquiries  after  his 
wound.  He  is  "  better  this  morning,  thank  you," 
or,  "  I  am  obliged  to  you,  not  quite  so  well."  A 
little  picture  on  the  table  by  his  side,  of  a  child 
three  years  of  age,  is  never  closed.  A  little  child, 
blue  eyed,  with  bare  white  neck,  and  plump  round 
arms,  showing  the  mother's  wish  that  the  picture 
should  be  fair  and  lovely  to  the  father's  eye.  The 
Federal  flag  is  on  the  cover.  The  man,  a  captain, 
is  of  an  Illinois  company.  The  child  and  mother, 


164:  LETTERS   OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

with  tearful  eyes  and  wistful  hearts,  look  over 
the  wide  expanse  of  land  and  water  that  separates, 
over  the  cruel  bounds  that  man  has  set — still  faith 
ful  in  their  love.  Still  watching,  and  hoping,  for 
the  time  when  liberty  will  be  his,  and  he,  constant 
and  true,  will  return  to  them.  He  tells  me  the 
name  of  the  little  one,  with  a  sorrowful  look  at 
me  with  his  dark  eye.  If  he  is  free,  if  he  ever 
sees  these  words,  he  will  remember  how  the  little 
one  was  gazed  on  by  a  lady  in  deep  mourning,  to 
whose  heart  a  child  of  three  years  brought  a  sad 
and  tearful  memory. 

Come  to  the  next  cot  with  me ;  do  not  shrink 
from  this  blackened  brow.  Yesterday  this  was  a 
noble-faced,  gray-haired,  old  Confederate  soldier, 
with  the  plaintive,  lovely  smile  of  perfect  resigna 
tion.  He  suffers  much  from  a  wound  in  his  body ; 
seldom  talks,  yet  always  smiles  gratefully  for  the 
slightest  attention.  This  morning  I  find  the  ery 
sipelas  has  broken  out,  spreading  over  his  forehead 
and  a  part  of  his  face.  He  cautions  me,  with  the 
same  pleasant,  resigned  smile,  about  coming  near 
him,  lest  I  take  the  disease.  The  blackened  skin 
is  from  the  effect  of  iodine  to  stay  its  progress. 
He  will  not  live :  dear,  patient  old  man,  my  heart 


LETTEES   OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL.  165 

aches  for  him,  yet  I  can  give  him  nothing  but  kind 
words. 

This  morning  I  brought  the  men  in  this  ward 
toast.  The  old  man  slept,  and  I  gave  to  each 
his  portion.  Engaged  in  talking  to  a  prisoner 
in  another  part  of  the  room,  I  heard  the  Illinoisian 
say :  "  Let  me  divide  this  toast  with  you ;  I  do  not 
need  it  all."  I  turned,  and  heard  the  old  man  re 
ply  :  "  Oh,  no ;  you  keep  it."  I  procured  his  toast 
and  brought  it  to  him,  laughingly  telling  the  pris 
oner  I  believed  I  saw  the  dawn  of  the  millennium. 

Do  you  not  wish,  dear  J ,  that  the  dawning 

was  indeed  with  us ;  that  brave  and  noble  men 
should  no  more  suffer,  bleed,  and  die,  but  live; 
and  in  their  lives  grow  more  thankful  and  worthy 
of  the  Divine  blood  that  has  been  shed  for  the  re 
moval  of  the  fearful  suffering  and  warfare  that  is 
all  around  us  ? 

Pardon  me  for  the  length  of  time  I  have  de 
tained  you,  and  remember  me  as  ever,  dear  J , 

Yours. 


166  LETTEES   OF  TEIAL  AND  TRAVEL. 


0 ,  June,  1862. 

CAN  you  credit  it,  dear  J ,  General  Beau- 
regard  has  evacuated  Corinth  ?  You  have  learned 
it  by  this  time  through  the  papers,  and  share  with 
me  the  surprise.  Our  feelings  have  fluctuated 
with  the  news  from  Corinth  for  weeks.  First,  an 
engagement  would  probably  ensue  the  following 
day.  Then,  some  one  had  heard  heavy  guns,  and 
was  sure  that  the  battle  had  taken  place.  And 
the  next  day,  all  quiet  at  Corinth.  But  the  most 
astonishing  of  all,  for  we  were  prepared  for  every 
thing  besides,  Corinth  has  been  left  quietly ;  abso 
lutely  left,  and  the  Federal  troops  probably  occupy 
the  place.  Every  one  has  something  to  say  on  the 
subject,  and  all  are  more  brilliant  in  their  ideas 
for  the  reason  that  all  have  full  scope  to  exercise 
them.  ~No  one  possesses  reliable  information,  and 
we  are  a  conjecturing  community — gentlemen  as 
well  as  ladies.  Something  out  of  the  common 
order  of  affairs,  you  will  say. 

But  a  truce  to  politics,  of  which  I  am  very 
fond,  and,  like  most  women,  know  very  little  about. 
Why  should  a  woman  of  sense  care  to  talk  about 
anything  but  dress  and  her  servants  ?  So  I  attend- 


LETTERS   OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL.  167 

ed  a  pleasant  little  soiree  a  few  evenings  since, 
graced  by  the  fair  and  elegant  daughters  of  Gen 
eral  P ,  of  Tennessee,  and  the  young  bride  of 

Jacob  J—  — 's  only  son,  a  sweet  young  girl.  All 
were  in  full  evening  dress,  though  the  guests  were 
few. 

But  a  novelty,  listen :  A  young  Spanish  bride 
— a  brilliant  woman — dazzled  my  eyes  'for  the 
evening.  Conversing  only  in  her  beautiful  national 
language,  she  with  animated  gestures  fascinates 
and  enlightens  one  readily  in  relation  to  her  themes. 
Then  she  warbles  most  beautifully,  and  one  can 
scarcely  complain  that  her  higher  notes  lack  in 
power,  as  she  rises  from  the  instrument,  placing 
her  hand  on  her  heart,  saying  brokenly  the  only 
English  words  she  is  mistress^of :  "  Oh !  pity  me, 
pity ! "  with  an  arch  reverence  to  her  audience. 

I  am  troubled  about  our  poor  hospital  patients, 
the  one  third  of  whom  you  have  not  met  with  me, 
each  has  a  separate  individuality  that  interests 
me  exceedingly.  It  is  feared  that  the  Federal 

troops  will  advance  on  0 ,  and  the  patients 

will  be  removed  to  a  safer  place  below.  I  will  be 
sorry  to  see  them  leave,  poor  fellows.  The  boy 
that  gained  a  double  cross  at  Corinth  has  closed 


168  LETTERS   OF    TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

his  eyes  softly  and  calmly.  Suffering  will  never 
disturb  him  more.  He  is  dead.  The  old  man 
has  gone  back  to  his  company  with  spasms  of  pain 
in  his  heart,  of  which  the  world  will  never  know. 

Let  me  tell  you  of  the  man's  devotion.  The 
boy's  fever  still  raged,  with  slighter  and  slighter 
intervals.  The  medicine  failed  to  procure  the 
desired  effect.  The  physicians  looked  anxious  as 
they*  approached  his  cot.  I  wanted  to  take  the 
old  man's  hand  and  tell  him  of  the  Friend  in  hea 
ven,  from  whom  death  itself  can  never  separate 
us;  but  a  foolish  fear  withheld  me.  One  night 
the  physicians  met  around  the  little  cot,  the  old 
man,  as  usual  when  others  were  near,  standing 
stiffly  at  the  head,  yet,  with  alarmed  and  burning 
eyes,  intently  reading  each  face.  A  sad  reading, 
hopeless — the  eyes  told  that,  while  the  hand  sought 
the  faintly  beating  pulse.  "  Doctor,  may  I  try  to 
save  my  boy  my  own  way  ? "  said  the  old  man, 
following  the  physician  into  the  hall.  "  Yes,  do 
as  you  choose  with  him,  only  do  not  give  him  un 
necessary  pain." 

In  the  morning  a  large  tub  of  cold  water  was 
taken  to  the  ward  and  placed  by  the  sick  boy's 
cot ;  and,  to  the  dismay  of  the  soldiers  in  the  beds 


LETTERS    OF    TEIAL    AND   TRAVEL.  169 

around,  the  boy  was  lifted  out,  wounded  as  he  was, 
by  the  strong  and  gentle  arms  of  one  in  whose 
eyes  he  was  more  precious  than  the  rarest  of  dia 
monds  and  gold.  A  quick  douse,  and  he  was  rub 
bed  well,  covered  closely,  and  soon  slept  soundly, 
the  perspiration  breaking  out  profusely  for  the 
first  time  in  two  days.  He  was  decidedly  better, 
and  the  proud  smile  on  the  father's  face  was  a 
happy  thing  to  see.  Gradually  he  grew  more  fee 
ble,  the  fever  returned,  and  one  morning,  with  an 
aching  heart,  I  saw  the  calmness  of  death  in  the 
closed  eyes  and  motionless  nostril.  Standing  at 
the  head  of  the  bed,  his  hat  drawn  over  his  eyes, 
his  arms  folded  in  a  stern  and  patient  agony,  the 
father  stood  watching  yet,  most  faithfully.  I  can 
not  express  to  you  the  grief  that  my  sympathy 
brought — the  grief,  and  constantly  the  words  : 
"  Alone !  all  alone !  My  boy !  oh,  my  boy ! " 

The  ladies  wished  to  have  a  large  funeral 
over  the  brave,  young  soldier  ;  but  the  physicians 
would  not  consent  to  having  him  buried  in  town, 
saying  that  the  soldiers  were  all  worthy  of  atten 
tion,  and  that  no  distinction  could  be  allowed.  So, 
before  he  was  buried,  I  went  out  to  the  hospital 
and  looked  my  last  on  the  young,  dead  face,  from 

8 


170  LETTERS   OF   TKIAL    AND   TRAVEL. 

which  all  trace  of  suffering  had  fled  :  only  peace 
and  rest  now  forever  ! 

Pain  and  anguish  were  making  a  deep  impress 
on  the  face  of  the  man  by  the  head  :  the  drawn  lines 
of  watching  and  suffering  were  more  evident,  as 
with  a  strained  smile,  and  almost  a  gasp  of  pain,  he 
thanked  me  for  the  interest  I  had  taken.  "  Every 
body  is  so  kind  !  "  he  said.  He  had  gone  into  town 
that  morning  and  purchased  a  little  black  coat, 
placing  it  on  the  small  form.  A  black  velvet 
vest,  white  bosom,  and  the  cravat  tied  over  the 
white,  boyish  throat,  told  of  the  tenderness  that 
shrank  not  from,  the  coldness  of  death. 

"  He's  like  his  mother,  ma'am,  more  than  ever, 
now,"  he  whispered,  softly  drawing  the  sheet  over 
the  inanimate  form  •  and  turning  squarely  around, 
with  his  back  to  me,  I  saw  him  draw  again  and 
again  his  sleeve  across  his  eyes.  We  are  born  to 
this  human  sorrow ;  and  yet  it  is  an  appalling 
thing  to  me.  You  have  expressed  an  interest  in 
these  visits  to  the  wounded  and  dying ;  therefore 
I  speak. 

One  more  life  that  hovers  over  the  grave ! 
— one  more  who  has  suffered,  oh,  I  cannot  express 
to  you  how  much  !  A  prisoner  from  Iowa,  be- 


LETTERS   OF   TEIAL   AND   TRAVEL.  171 

longing  to  the  second  Iowa  cavalry,  was  captured 
at  Farmington,  near  Corinth,  shot  through  the 
body  so  badly,  that  very  little  hope  was  enter 
tained  of  his  recovery :  he  lingered  some  weeks, 
and  dwindled  from  a  robust,  hearty  man,  down  to 
a  poor  emaciated  being — seldom  talking — never 
complaining,  yet  suffering  much,  I  could  see. 

When  I  came,  one  morning,  the  ward  master 
whispered  aside  to  me  that  he  had  been  dying 
through  the  night.  I  entered  the  ward ;  his  eye 
sought  mine,  with  a  wistful  look,  and  brightened 
as  I  came  near  his  bed.  I  smoothed  the  hair  from 
his  forehead,  moistened  his  lips,  and  then,  taking 
the  fly  brush,  resolved  to  stay  by  him  to  the  last. 
Oh,  dear  J !  those  wistful  eyes  that  follow 
ed  every  motion  of  mine  ! — those  anxious,  dying 
eyes ! 

What  was  the  poor  mother  doing  now,  of 
whom  he  whispered  to  me  ?  How  little  she  knew 
that  the  eyes  that  were  so  dear,  now  were  looking 
their  last  on  the  light !  Far  away  from  home  and 
friends,  among  strangers,  the  soul  was  swiftly 
passing  out  into  the  great  sea  of  eternity,  the 
bright  hopes  of  which  so  softly  regulate  this  life- 
tide  of  ours  ! — passing  out — passing  out,  with  a 


172  LETTERS    OF   TKIAL   AND   TEAVEL. 

lingering  look  of  unfathomable  speech,  into  my 
face  ;  for  my  face  told  him  what  my  lips  faltered 
in  doing ! 

"  If  I  can  write  to  your  mother  before  you  are 
free,  what  shall  I  say  ?  " 

"  You  know,"  he  whispered. 

"  You  are  very  sick,  and  God  may  not  spare 
your  life  ;  will  you  say  one  little  prayer  after  me  ? " 
And  so  a  few  words  were  said,  that,  with  long 
pauses,  he  whispered  after  me,  almost  gasping 
at  the  last  word.  And  thus  beside  him  I  sat,  the 
gaze  from  his  eyes  into  mine  growing  more  and 
more  intense.  It  seemed  as  if  his  whole  soul  was 
drawn  out  in  unutterable  language.  At  length, 
the  quivering  eyelid,  the  softly  fleeting  breath, 
ebbing  out — yes,  ebbing  out  so  swiftly  ! 

O  Father  !  give  this  tried  soul  thy  rest,  through 
thy  dear  Son. 

Free  at  last,  prisoner !  Peace  to  thy  soul ! 
G-od  grant  his  peace  ! 

My  friend,  do  you  dread  death  ?  I  have  seen 
it  come  so  often  as  a  relief  from  pain  and  distress, 
that  I  could  not  but  bless  it.  Do  not  forget  that 
you  asked  for  these  details ;  and  believe,  as  I  wish 
you  always  to,  in  my  affection,  Yours. 


LETTEES    OF    TRIAL   AND   TKAVEL.  173 


IT  is  long  since  I  have  heard  from  you,  dear 

J ;  long  since  I  have  written.  You  will 

notice  that  I  am  again  at  O .  Soon  after 

writing  my  last,  the  Federal  troops  took  posses 
sion  of  Holly  Springs  and  threatened  O . 

The  hospital  patients  were  removed  ;  and  I  cross 
ed  the  country  to  meet  my  husband,  who  was  at 
Tupelo.  After  spending  some  time  in  Pontotoc,  I 
continued  on  to  Tupelo,  and  for. some  time  re 
mained  on  a  plantation  six  miles  distant.  Mean 
time  the  battle  of  luka  occurred  ;  and  the  loss  of 
the  brave  General  Little  was  deeply  felt  by  the 
Missourians.  The  troops  returned  in  dejection. 
Shortly,  they  were  marched  across  to  Ripley, 
where  a  junction  was  formed  with  the  troops  un 
der  General  Y D ;  and  an  attack  was 

made  on  Corinth,  in  which  the  troops  behaved 
gallantly,  but  all  to  no  purpose :  a  complete  re 
pulse  it  proved ;  and  the  army  under  the  two 
generals  narrowly  escaped  capture. 

The  wives  and  families  of  the  officers  were,  of 
course,  distressed  and  anxious.  Couriers  daily 
came  galloping  into  the  town,  with  the  most  con 
flicting  reports. 


174:  LETTERS    OF    TKIAL   AND   TKAVEL. 

At  one  time  we  heard  that  the  Missourians 
were  completely  cut  to  pieces ;  again,  that  they 
were  all  captured.  One  of  the  couriers  said  he 
had  seen  my  husband  lying  in  an  ambulance  as 
he  passed.  How  much  distressed  I  was,  you  can 
imagine.  Yet,  two  days  passed  wearily  along ; 
and  still  no  tidings.  The  evening  of  the  second 
day,  as  I  sat  in  the  moonlight  on  the  portico,  I 
heard  a  vehicle  coming  down  the  road  with  great 
speed ;  as  it  neared  the  house,  I  saw  that  it  was 
an  ambulance.  My  worst  fears  now  took  shape 

and  form :  M wounded,  perhaps  mortally 

wounded,  I  thought ;  and  I  ran  swiftly  down  the 
walk.  The  driver  met  me  at  the  gate,  telling  me 
that  he  had  been  sent  with  all  speed  after  me — 
that  Tupelo  would  be  evacuated  during  the  night, 
and  my  husband  had  written  to  the  post  quarter 
master,  placing  me  in  his  charge.  I  also  had  a 
letter.  The  quartermaster  would  take  me  over 
the  country  with  the  wagon  train  at  daylight  in 
the  morning.  My  husband  was  well,  he  answered 
to  my  first,  earnest  inquiry. 

It  was  now  nine  o'clock ;  my  little  daughter  was 
in  bed  sleeping  soundly.  The  man,  a  sergeant,  who 
was  well  known  to  my  husband,  had,  as  yet,  not 


LETTERS   OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL.  175 

supped ;  so,  while  lie  ate,  I  gathered  my  baggage 
together,  wrapped  a  shawl  around  my  sleeping 
child,  and  then,  with  a  hurried  good  by,  we  drove 
off,  six  miles  through  the  woods,  through  what 
had  been  an  impassable  swamp.  Now  the  gloom 
of  the  huge  trees  brought  to  my  mind  all  the 
thrilling  tales  I  had  heard  of  travellers  being 
waylaid  in  swamps  and  dense  woods.  I  looked  at 
the  shadows  on  the  trunks  of  trees,  and  imagined 
a  man  skulked  in  the  darkness  behind  them.  The 
owls  were  crying  mournfully,  and  the  plaintive 
song  of  the  whippoorwill  came  to  us  from  the 
dense  recesses  of  the  forest. 

My  servant  crept  closely  to  my  side,  for  negroes, 
in  their  vivid  imaginations,  fill  the  woods  at  night 
with  phantoms  and  ghosts  of  the  departed.  Fre 
quently,  after  detailing  the  events  of  the  recent 
battle  to  us,  our  driver,  in  the  full  moonlight, 
would  break  the  silence  with  one  of  the  stirring 
camp  airs,  whistling  loud  and  shrilly;  then  my 
martial  and  political  hopes  would  rise ;  but  as  we 
would  again  plunge  into  the  darkness  of  the  rug 
ged  cypress  trees,  where  the  owl  and  whippoor 
will  vied  with  each  other,  a  silence  would  again 
come  over  us,  and  I  again  become  a  timid,  fearful 
woman. 


176  LETTERS    OF    TKIAL    AND    TRAVEL. 

Soon  "we  saw  lights  through  the- trees,  then  the 
rows  of  camp  fires,  and  noise  and  bustle  became 
the  prominent  features  of  the  town  :  cattle  were 
driven  through,  with  many  a  shout  and  halloo ; 
wagons  were  passing  rapidly  ;  soldiers  were  cook 
ing  rations  at  the  camp  fires — a  scene  of  busy 
preparation. 

We  drove  to  the  quartermaster's  office,  and 
the  gentlemen  conducted  us  in,  regretting  that 
they  had  been  obliged  to  send  for  me  in  such  a 
summary  manner.  The  order  to  move  had  come 
at  dark ;  and  since  then  they  had  been  employed 
constantly,  as  the  town  must  be  evacuated  by 
daylight ;  for  the  Federal  forces  were  advancing 
rapidly. 

The  house  was  an  unfinished  building :  one 
large,  long  room  comprised  the  second  story,  with 
a  small  portion  partitioned  off,  and  dignified  by 
the  name  of  office.  To  this  I,  with  my  servant, 
was  conducted  through  piles  of  mule  collars, 
harness,  bridles,  &c. 

Here  I  was  glad  to  find  a  little  camp  cot,  on 
which  I  laid  my  child  for  the  first  time  out  of  my 
arms.  "With  many  apologies  for  the  poor  accom 
modations  they  had  to  offer  me,  the  gentlemen 


LETTERS    OF   TEIAL    AND   TRAVEL.  177 

took  their  leave ;  and  I  could  hear  the  quick 
orders  to  clerks,  drivers,  and  soldiers,  as  they  re 
commenced  their  hurried  preparations.  I  took 
my  knitting  and  sat  by  the  window.  The  moon 
was  low  in  the  heavens ;  yet  the  tumult  con 
tinued  throughout  the  town.  My  child  slept 
peacefully — her  father  many  miles  away,  yet,  I 
knew,  filled  with  anxiety  for  our  welfare. 

At  dawn  we  were  on  our  way.  The  first 
night,  I  slept  in  Pontotoc  at  a  friend's  house. 
The  gentlemen  camped  out  of  town  about  a  mile. 
In  the  morning,  before  I  had  left  my  room,  my 
friends  called  and  left  a  message  for  me  with  the 
lady  of  the  house.  I  was  to  start  as  soon  as  I 
could,  and  strive  to  gain  the  head  of  the  wagon 
train,  thereby  escaping  the  dust.  Our  driver  was 
a  soldier  from  Arkansas — a  quiet,  mild,  little 
man,  with  very  little  force.  We  drove  on  briskly 
in  the  pleasant  morning  air  for  two  or  three  hours, 
and  saw  nothing  of  the  train  :  perhaps  we  were 
before  them.  Presently,  we  stopped  and  held  a 
consultation.  In  every  opinion  that  I  expressed 
in  regard  to  the  matter,  I  found  a  ready  echo 
from  the  little  man,  pro  and  con.  We  had  driven 
perhaps  too  rapidly  :  no  signs  of  the  wagons  could 
8* 


1Y8  LETTERS    OF    TRIAL    AND   TRAVEL. 

we  find.  "Waiting  patiently  for  a  time,  a  disagree 
able  foreboding  crossed  my  mind.  I  had  not  been 
told  which  road  to  take  ;  there  were  two  :  perhaps 

we  were  011  the  wrong   one.      O was  forty 

miles  from  Pontotoc ;  we  had  already  gone  nine, 
and  could  not  now  return  expecting  to  find  our 
friends. 

The  only  alternative  was  to  drive  through  to 

O ,  wThere  M designed  meeting  us.     So, 

in  answer  to  the  little  man's  query,  "  Don't  you 
think  we'd  better  whip  up  and  try  to  make  O — 
by  night?"  I  said,  "Yes."  Clouds  began  to 
overspread  the  sky ;  and  I  heard  mutterings  of 
thunder  in  the  distance ;  still  the  sun  shone  out 
fitfully  ;  and  I  hoped  the  rain  would  not  fall  near 
us.  Driving  on  with  speed,  we  had  proceeded 
but  a  few  miles,  when  the  unmistakable  evidences 
of  a  storm,  that  would  soon  burst  upon  us,  con 
vinced  me  that  a  shelter  must  be  sought ;  where, 
it  was  hard  tell,  for  the  road  we  travelled  was 
almost  destitute  of  houses.  I  was  in  despair,  as 
the  wind  whistled  around  us,  driving  in  eddies 
the  leaves  and  dried  grass  about  the  ground,  and 
swaying  high  and  low,  with  a  moaning  sound,  the 
limbs  of  the  huge  forest  trees.  In  my  anxiety,  I 


LETTERS    OF   TRIAL   AND    TRAVEL.  179 

grasped  at  a  straw.     I  remembered,  in  travelling 

this  road  before,  that  M had  pointed  out  a 

by  road  through  the  woods,  that  led  to  Lafayette 
Springs.  The  proprietor  knew  my  husband  ;  and 
I  resolved  to  take  a  country  road  that  I  saw  lead 
ing  in  the  direction  I  imagined  the  Springs  to  be. 

Picture  me,  J ,  if  you  can,  sitting  up  in  the 

centre  of  the  ambulance,  my  servant  by  my  side, 

little  J between  us — the  little  driver,  meek 

and  resigned,  turning  when  I  said  turn,  stop 
ping  when  I  said  stop.  Taking  a  strange  road,  I 
knew  not  where,  we  drew  near,  at  last,  a  most  un 
promising-looking  cabin,  the  inhabitants  of  which 
filled  the  door  at  the  sound  of  wheels — in  every 
variety  of  size — robed  in  yellow  dresses,  surmount 
ed  by  tangled  white  heads.  The  old  lady  "  knew 
thar  was  some  springs  somewhar  abouts,  and 
reckoned  this  road  might  run  thar ; "  then,  re 
suming  her  pipe,  looked  for  confirmation  of  the 
statement  to  her  eldest  daughter,  who  said  :  "  Yes, 
she  reckoned,  the  road  would  take  us  thar,  if  we 
kept  c  straight  ahead.' 5; 

"  Whip  the  mules,"  I  cried,  "  and  drive  rap 
idly  ; "  for  the  storm  was  darkening  around  us ; 
and  the  ambulance  jingled  a  chorus  through  the 


180  LETTEES    OF   TEIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

silent  "  piny  woods."  Large  drops  were  now  fall 
ing  ;  the  wind  moaned  and  surged  mournfully 
through  the  "  barren,"  moaned  and  swept  over 
the  narrow  road,  whirling  the  "  pine  points  "  as 
we  passed  ;  faster  and  faster  fell  the  rain.  Our 
heavier  clothing,  shawls,  cloaks,  &c.,  were  with 
the  trunks  :  one  light  shawl,  in  which  I  enveloped 
my  child,  was  all  we  possessed  in  this  emergency. 
The  ambulance  cover  was  dotted  with  bullet 
holes,  through  which  the  rain  dropped  in  cold  re- 
lentlessness.  The  little  driver  was  suffering  mar 
tyrdom  :  drawn  up  as  closely  as  possible,  with  his 
blanket  around  him,  the  wind  driving  the  rain  in 
sheets  between  him  and  the  mules,  he  looked  to 
me  in  the  mist  like  an  inanimate,  round,  brown 
ball.  Soon,  the  floor  of  the  ambulance  filled  so 
rapidly  with  water,  that  he  threw  his  blanket  over 
the  top  of  the  conveyance  to  keep  the  rain  from 
falling  through ;  then  subsiding  again,  the  only 
sign  of  life  about  the  little  being  was  the  me 
chanical  process  of  whipping  the  mules. 

A  little  side  road  presented  itself,  leading  in 
to  the  forest,  freshly  marked  with  wagon  tracks. 
Hearing  the  barking  of  a*  dog  not  far  distant,  I 
ordered  the  driver  to  turn  in  search  of  a  house. 


LETTERS    OF   TEIAL   AND    TRAVEL.  181 

Proceeding  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  we  came  to  an 
other  little  cabin.  Through  the  rain,  the  weak 
voice  of  the  little  driver  brought  to  the  door  a 
woman,  who  informed  us  that  Lafayette  Springs 
were  three  miles  on  "  ahead."  Highly  elate,  the 
little  man  turned  to  me,  and,  with  a  glad  face, 
saying,  "  Yery  good  news,"  whipped  up  his  mules  ; 
and  I  firmly  believe  the  man  was  nearsighted ; 
for  in  two  minutes  more  we  would  have  gone  off 
a  precipice  that  was  almost  hidden  by  the  tops  of 
trees  that  grew  far  below  at  the  base.  "  Stop  !  "  I 
cried,  as  the  heads  of  the  mules  were  almost  over 
the  verge  of  the  cliff.  The  little  man  meekly 
asked  what  he  should  do.  "  Back  the  mules  !  "  I 
cried ;  and,  after  a  troublesome  detention,  we  at 
last  turned  and  found  ourselves  on  the  road  again. 
"  We  like  to  had  a  right  smart  time  thar,"  said 
the  little  man  to  me.  "  We  did,  indeed,"  I  re 
turned,  blandly ;  for  I  feared  I  had  hurt  the  poor 
man's  feelings  in  speaking  so  quickly  at  that 
critical  time.  Gladly  we  reached  the  Springs 
through  the  driving  rain,  and  were  pleasantly 
welcomed.  The  landlord  did  all  that  he  could 
for  my  comfort. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  a  friend  who 


182  LETTERS    OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

had  met  my  husband,  and  who  told  me  much 
about  the  recent  battle.  The  next  morning,  we 
started  early.  I  determined,  although  it  was  a 
raw,  disagreeable  morning,  to  be  done  with  my 
lonely  wanderings.  We  had  gone  about  four 
miles,  shivering  in  the  dismal  mist,  when  I  heard 
a  quick  galloping  along  the  road.  The  curtain  of 
the  ambulance  was  lifted — a  blithe  good  morning 
in  a  voice  I  could  not  mistake  :  M was  ridin^ 

o 

by  our  side,  asking  how  on  earth  we  had  con 
trived  to  wander  so  far  off  from  our  friends.  I 
could  answer  nothing  to  this  bantering.  Corinth, 
with  all  its  bloody  horrors  that  have  been  so 
vividly  before  my  mind,  the  constant  anxiety  I 
had  felt,  and  now  my  tribulations  were  ended — 

M in  person  here  to  take  charge  of  us !     I 

covered  my  face  and  cried  like  a  silly  child.  Do 
not  blame  me ;  you  have  never  been  lost  in  the 
woods  in  a  storm,  and  felt  that  the  responsibility 

of  every   action  rested  with  you.      M had 

been  sent  on  business  to  Pontotoc — had  heard  of 
us  there  and  followed,  fearing  that  we  might 
have  met  with  some  accident.  I  will  accompany 

M in    a   few  days  to  Holly   Springs,  where 

Generals  P ,  Y-     -  D ,  and  L are  in- 


LETTERS    OF   TRIAL    AND    TRAVEL.  183 

trenching  with  their  forces.  As  I  write,  the  sun 
light  fades  away;  and  only  the  fading  crimson 
light  lies  across  my  paper.  In  closing,  let  me 
entreat  you  to  remember  always,  as  you  read,  my 

affection  for  you, 

As  ever. 


184      LETTERS  OF  TRIAL  AND  TRAVEL. 


HOLLY  SPRINGS. 

You  wished  me  to  keep  a  journal  for  you,  dear 

J ;  but  I  answered  that  a  journal  would  be 

a  dull  compound  of  dates,  with  three  lines  set 
ting  forth  the  vapidity  of  most  days  ;  and  I  would 
rather  write  events  as  they  passed.  You  replied 
that  my  letters  must  be  voluminous  if  they  were 
satisfactory.  Do  you  not  already  repent  the  re 
mark  ?  I  rejoice,  if  length  is  pleasing,  my  letters 
are  satisfactory. 

The  battle  of  Corinth  was  a  bloody  failure. 
Oh  the  blood  that  has  flowed  in  this  wonderful 
and  most  appalling  warfare ! — the  tears  and  the 
suffering  !  Can  there  be  nothing  done  to  assuage 

the  fierce  passions  of  men?  Oh!  J ,  could 

you  see,  as  I  have,  the  torn  and  mangled  human 
beings  brought  from  the  field  of  battle,  with  loud 
cries  to  God  for  death  ! — for  mercy  and  for  death  ! 
— you,  like  me,  would  ask  anxiously,  "  Can  nothing 
do  away  with  this  death  ? — this  anguish  ?  Can  no 
appeal  be  made  by  which  peace  may  come  to  us  ? " 
But  woman  weeps,  while  man  strikes ! 

Holly  Springs,  with  its  white  verandahed 
houses,  its  pleasant  gardens,  wide  streets,  and 


LETTERS   OF   TEIAL   AND   TEAYEL.  185 

hospitable  homes,  is  the  most  pleasant  of  South 
ern  towns;  though  crowded  and  teeming  with 
soldiers  and  officers. 

The  inhabitants  seem  uniting  in  the  efforts  to 

entertain.  Generals  Y D ,  P ,  L , 

and  T have  each  their  respective  headquarters 

in  the  town.  A  week  ago  I  attended  a  review 

of  the  troops  under  Generals  L and  T . 

They  presented  a  fine  appearance  :  most  of  them 
were  newly  uniformed  and  renovated  from  their 

prison  clothing.  General  Y D ,  who  is 

called  the  finest  horseman  in  the  army,  galloped 
up  and  down  the  line  on  a  fleet,  beautiful  black 

horse,  followed  by  General  P on  a  large  bay 

that  galloped  heavily  and  with  less  speed. 

There  were  many  ladies  present  on  horse 
back,  scattered  around  the  field,  with  generally  a 
gay  group  of  officers  surrounding  them.  Day 
before  yesterday  we  rode  out  to  a  large  review  of 

the  Missouri  troops  under  General  P .  There 

were  spectators  from  the  whole  country  around : 
many  came  up  on  the  cars  from  a  distance.  Such 
imperishable  renown  have  the  Missouri  troops  gain 
ed  in  the  late  battle  of  Corinth,  that  all  are  anx 
ious  to  witness  their  review,  and  cheer  the  brave 


186  LETTKRS    OF   TEIAL    AND    TRAVEL. 

fellows  who  have  suffered  so  much.  Although 
driven  back  and  obliged  to  retreat,  their  gallant 
struggle  over  two  rows  of  superior  fortifications 
in  the  face  of  a  galling  fire,  the  Southern  people 
will  never  forget. 

General  P is  greatly  beloved  by  the  people 

also ;  though  the  heads  of  the  Government  are 
strongly  opposed  to  him.  It  is  natural,  of  course, 
that  President  Davis  should  suppose  a  regularly 
educated  military  man  would  be  more  likely  to  un 
derstand  the  science  of  war  than  a  man  who  had 
not  made  it  his  study.  But  why  does  he  cripple 

so  efficient  an  officer  as  General  P certainly 

is,  so  as  almost  to  render  him  inefficient  ? 

The  Missourians  on  review  looked  fresh  and 

lively.  General  P ,  attended  by  his  staff, 

stood  near  us  in  the  pause,  while  we  waited  the 

arrival  of  General  Y D .  One  of  General 

P 's  staff  officers  started  across  the  field  to 

carry  a  despatch,  when  his  horse,  stumbling,  fell 
on  the  grass,  rolling  the  brilliantly  uniformed 
gentleman  over  and  over  on  the  sod,  much  to  the 
amusement  of  the  spectators,  who  cheered  him 
lustily.  I  felt  sorry  for  him  ;  and  although  some 
of  his  friends  were  talking  to  me  at  the  time,  I 


LETTEUS    OF   TRIAL   AND    TRAVEL.  1ST 

could  scarcely  conceal  a  smile.  But  the  men,  who, 
half  a  mile  distant,  have  been  drawn  in  line,  now 
whe.el,  form,  and  march  around  the  little  hillock 
in  the  distance.  See,  the  sun  glances  on  the  bay 
onets  of  the  guns,  as  they  ascend,  and  in  coming 
down  over  the  brow  of  the  hill,  the  regular  swing 
of  the  line  and  glance  of  the  steel  show  the  dis 
cipline  they  have  been  under. 

Now  they  pass  by  the  general,  who  sits  a  little 

behind  General  Y D ,  and  near  General 

Q .     Among   the  artillery,  I  saw  the  Lady 

Richardson,  captured  and  brought  away  from 
Corinth.  As  they  come  on,  and  pass  by  General 

V" D ,  they  salute ;  which  is  answered  by 

his  raising  his  cap  to  the  colors,  disclosing  a  proud, 
youthful  head,  surrounded  by  curls.  He  is  imme 
diately  before  me,  and  I  do  not  see  his  face,  which 
is  marked  with  deep  lines  I  have  noticed  before. 
In  the  evening,  after  the  review,  I  attended  a  party 
given  to  the  generals  here  collected.  The  house 
was  crowded;  the  generals,  with  their  staff  and 
other  officers,  were  there,  and  some  of  the  lovely 
ladies  of  Holly  Springs.  The  supper  was  hand 
some.  Toasts  were  drunk  to  Generals  P and 

Y D ,  and  all  went  merry,  &c.    But  in  the 


188  LETTERS    OF   TKIAL   AND   TEAVEL. 

midst  of  a  conversation,  an  officer  told  me  that 
the  Federal  forces  were  advancing  on  Holly  Springs, 
and  that  probably  the  Confederate  forces  would 
evacuate  the  town  in  a  day  or  two.  So,  dear 

J ,  there  is  no  telling  where  I  will  be  when  I 

write  next. 


LETTERS   OF   TKIAL   AND   TEAVEL.  189 

JACKSON. 

I  KNOW  you  are  smiling,  as  you  see  Jackson 
written  at  the  head  of  my  letter — smiling  to 
think  how  systematically  I  have  bowed  myself 
out  of  one  town  after  the  other,  as  the  Federal 
troops  have  bowed  themselves  in ;  yet  you  know 
the  old  saw,  u  He  that  fights,  and  runs  away,"  &c. ; 
though  I  can  take  no  comfort  in  this,  as  fighting 
has  been  my  abomination  since  the  war  began. 
I  have  always,  in  peaceful  times,  had  an  admira 
tion  for  heroes  in  brilliant  uniforms,  and  would 
now,  if  the  hero  could  possibly  assure  me  that  the 
brilliant  uniform  would  always  be  filled  with  life. 
But  how  can  one  feel  a  pleasure  in  the  gilt  trap 
pings  of  a  friend,  when  they  know  that  they  may 
possibly  serve  as  an  anxiously  sought  target  for 
some  sharpshooter.  You  do  not  wonder  at  my 
quotation  in  favor  of  a  retrograde  movement  in 
this  frame  of  mind,  do  you  ?  For.  the  last  week  or 
two  I  have  passed  from  one  state  of  excitement  to 
another,  so  that  I  am  glad  indeed  to  find  a  quiet 
resting  place. 

From  Holly  Springs  the  army  under  Generals 
Y D and  P retreated  to  Abbeville, 


190  LETTERS   OF   TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL. 

where  they  remained  stationary  for  a  time.     One 

day  the  inhabitants  of  O were  alarmed  by  the 

distant  booming  of  cannon.  A  great  excitement 
prevailed,  and  various  rumors  went  the  rounds. 
One  that  the  Federal  troops  had  reached  the  Tal- 
lahatchee ;  another  that  they  had  crossed,  and  a 
battle  was  progressing  between  the  Federal  and 
Confederate  forces. 

The  town  grew  wide  awake.  Wagons  passed 
and  repassed.  Numerous  families  were  seen  walk 
ing  rapidly  toward  the  depot,  carriages  filled  with 
ladies  and  children  driving  swiftly  in  the  same 
direction.  My  friends  were  preparing  to  leave 
also.  I  had  received  a  telegram  from  M ,  tell 
ing  me  to  be  in  readiness  to  take  my  departure 
during  the  afternoon.  My  preparations  were  made. 
A  gentleman  came  on  the  down  train  to  accom 
pany  me,  when,  to  our  great  disappointment,  pas 
sengers  were  not  allowed  to  go  on  the  train,  for 
the  hospital  patients  were  all  to  be  taken  off  be 
fore  passengers  could  be  accommodated.  My 
friend  was,  however,  by  particular  favor,  allowed 
to  ride  in  a  baggage  car  with  my  trunks.  The 
next  day,  Sunday,  how  little  it  seemed  like  the 
Sabbath!  passenger  trains  were  to  run  if  the 


LETTERS    OF    TRIAL    AND    TRAVEL.  191 

stores  could  all  be  transported.  So  a  number  of 
friends,  with  myself,  took  our  seats  quite  early  in 
the  cars  at  the  depot,  and  waited  patiently  hour 
after  hour,  hearing  most  distracting  rumors,  until 
my  patience  had  become  nearly  exhausted. 

In  the  afternoon,  great  was  my  joy  on  seeing 
M—  -  enter  the  car.  The  army  was  retreating 
from  Abbeville.  Our  friends  resolved  to  take 
their  carriage  and  cross  the  country  to  Columbus. 
M—  —  said  he  could  get  an  ambulance  for  me,  but 
I  would  be  obliged  to  keep  up  with  the  army,  as 
the  Federal  forces  were  following  closely.  The 
cars  were  vacated  quickly,  and  I  saw  the  last  of 
my  friends.  An  ambulance  came  up,  and  I  was 
soon  riding  rapidly  southward.  That  night  we 
stopped  at  a  roadside  house.  During  the  next  day 
the  greater  portion  of  the  army  passed  by,  and 
encamped  below  the  house  we  ,were  in  for  the 
night. 

The  next  morning  was  gloomy,  dark,  and  dis 
agreeable.  "While  I  waited  for  M to  come 

with  an  ambulance,  Gen.  P invited  me  to  ride 

with  him.  The  roads  were  in  the  most  miserable 
condition,  and  for  a  time  we  drove  on  a  corduroy 
road. 


192  LETTERS    OF    TEIAL    AND   TRAVEL. 

Just  imagine  me,  dear  J ,  on  a  corduroy 

road,  jolting  through  a  swamp,  with  my  child  in 
my  arms ;  the  general  talking  in  the  calmest  and 
most  urbane  manner.  Yet  the  gloom  of  the  day 
was  over  me,  and  I  felt  dismally  miserable.  Soon 
the  rain  began  to  pour  down.  We  were  at  this 
time  on  the  high  road,  which  became  every  mo 
ment  worse,  from  the  travel  of  the  artillery,  the 
greater  portion  of  which  was  before  us.  Imme 
diately  behind  the  general's  ambulance  drove  the 
carriage  of  a  lady,  who  had  been  compelled,  like 
myself,  to  abandon  the  cars. 

How  incessantly  the  rain  poured  down  !  Now 
and  then  the  ambulance  would  drive  on  the  side 
of  the  road,  stopping  to  let  the  infantry  pass.  Poor 
fellows !  wet  and  begrimed  with  mud,  plodding 
with  blankets  and  knapsacks  strapped  on  their 
backs,  and  guns  on  their  shoulders ;  troublesome 
accompaniments  at  any  time — far  more  so  now  in 
the  driving  rain.  At  the  foot  of  the  hills  we  would 
frequently  be  obliged  to  halt,  sometimes  for  an 
hour,  awaiting  the  passage  of  the  artillery  over  the 
brow  of  the  ascent.  The  Federal  troops  were 
close  in  the  rear.  The  horses  strained  and  pulled, 


LETTERS    OF    TRIAL   AND   TRAVEL.  193 

but  the  mud  was  so  deep  and  heavy  that  the 
wheels  became  clogged,  and  I  looked  anxiously  up, 
expecting  to  see  some  huge  cannon,  impelled  by 
its  weight,  return  to  the  base  of  the  hill.  Fre 
quently  the  soldiers  would  be  obliged  to  wade 
through  the  deep  ruts  of  mud  on  the  hillside,  and 
give  a  new  impulse  to  some  wavering  piece,  assist 
ing  the  horses,  and  pushing  the  weighty  gun-car 
riage  with  united  strength. 

In  the  rain  sat  the  staff  officers  on  their  drip 
ping  horses;  and,  giving  orders  from  the  ambu 
lance  window,  the  old  general  urged  on  the  men. 
I  wondered  at  the  patience,  the  kindness  with 
which  he  spoke  to  all ;  rapidly  and  cheerily  to  the 
staff  officers :  "  Ride  on,  and  see  what  obstructs  the 
road;"  and  in  a  tone  of  sympathy,  through  the 
rain,  to  the  straggling  soldier :  "  Keep  up,  men, 
keep  up."  "  We  camp  near,  do  we  ? "  he  called 
out  in  clear  tones  to  the  inspector.  And  the  men 
raised  their  drooping  heads  and  pressed  forward 
at  the  encouragement  in  the  well-known  voice. 
I  see  the  power  of  kindness  with  these  men, 

dear  J .      There  are  few  general  officers  in 

the  Confederacy  so  well-beloved  by  their  men  as 


194  LETTERS    OF   TRIAL    AND    TRAVEL. 

General  P ,  yet  he  is  only  kind  and  perfectly 

just. 

That  night  we  stopped  beyond  Water  Yalley, 
at  a  house  where  the  poor  hostess  tried  to  make 
us  comfortable,  and  gave  us  much  of  her  company, 
telling  us  that  she  was  "  cousin  to  Stonewall  Jack 
son's  wife  and  Hill's  wife ;  "  but  she  "  reckoned 
they  did  not  know  it,  and  wouldn't  think  much 
of  it,  if  they  did."  She  brought  in  a  large  baby, 
and  sat  down  by  the  general's  side,  telling  him 
that  she  was  going  to  name  that  baby  after  him. 
The  general  was  as  affable  as  usual ;  but  I  fre 
quently  turned  to  the  window  to  conceal  my 
amusement. 

Suddenly  I  was  startled  by  her  turning  quickly 
to  me,  and  asking  if  I  "  would  ever  think  her  any 
kin  to  Stonewall  Jackson's  wife  and  Hill's  wife." 
E"ever  having  seen  either  of  the  above-named  la 
dies,  I  conscientiously  answered  I  did  not  know  as 
I  should. 

Wakened  by  the  bugle  call  the  next  morning, 
I  hastily  arose,  and  in  a  few  moments  was  ready 
to  depart.  We  had  proceeded  but  five  miles  when 
an  aid-de-camp  rode  up,  and  told  General  P 


LETTERS    OF   TRIAL    AND    TRAVEL.  195 

that  General  Pemberton  wished  him  to  return  to 
Water  V alley  immediately,  as  the  Federal  forces 
were  quite  near,  and  the  Confederate  soldiers  must 
make  a  stand.  We  alighted  and  sat  a  few  mo 
ments  in  a  negro  cabin.  Then  the  general  mount 
ed  and  rode  toward  Water  Valley,  followed  by  his 
staff  officers.  The  lady  and  myself  proceeded  on 
with  the  wagons  beyond  Coffeeville,  where  the 
train  halted  and  prepared  to  camp  for  the  night. 

As  yet  I  had  not  heard  from  M since  he  rode 

off  with  the  general,  and  I  scarcely  knew  what 
to  do.  The  soldiers  were  thrown  out  on  picket 
duty  around  the  trains,  as  a  Federal  force  was  also 
to  the  left  of  us,  near  the  little  town  of  Charleston. 
Heavy  skirmishing  was  going  on  at  Water  Yalley, 
we  were  told.  As  no  house  was  near,  the  gentle 
man  who  had  charge  of  the  lady  and  myself  told 
us  that  he  would  put  up  a  pleasant  tent,  and  make 
us  quite  comfortable.  So  a  tent  was  pitched  on 
a  little  hillock  near,  and  I  rested  comfortably  dur 
ing  the  night.  Early  in  the  morning  we  were  on 
our  way,  the  remainder  of  the  army  having  come 
up.  At  length  we  reached  Grenada  in  safety,  yet 
sorely  pressed  by  the  Federal  troops. 


196  LETTERS    OF    TRIAL    AND    TRAVEL. 

Thus  you  see,  dear  J ,  that  I  am  unlucky 

enough  to  be  identified  with  some  retreat  or 
threatened  city.  From  Memphis,  or  over  the 
greater  distance  that  separates  us,  \ve  can  span 
our  love ;  and  through  all,  I  am 

Yours. 


THE    END. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 
THE 

NEW  AMERICAN  CYCLOPEDIA. 

EDITED   BY 

GEORGE  RIPLEY  AND  CHARLES  A.  DANA. 

PUBLISHED   BY 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  New  York 
In  16  Vols.  Svo,  Double  Columns,  750  Pages  each. 

Price,  Clotk,  $3.50;  Sheep,  ^;  Half  Mor.,  $4.50;  Half  Russia,  $5 
per  Volume. 


EVERY  one  that  reads,  every  one  that  mingles  in  society,  it» 
constantly  meeting  with  allusions  to  subjects  on  which  h& 
needs  and  desires  further  information.  In  conversation,  in 
trade,  in  professional  life,  on  the  farm,  in  the  family,  practical 
questions  are  continually  arising,  which  no  man,  well  read  or 
not,  can  always  satisfactorily  answer.  If  facilities  for  reference 
are  at  hand,  they  are  consulted,  and  not  only  is  the  curiosity 
gratified,  and  the  stock  of  knowledge  increased,  but  perhaps 
information  is  gained  and  ideas  are  suggested  that  will  directly 
contribute  to  the  business  success  of  the  party  concerned. 

With  a  Cyclopaedia,  embracing  every  conceivable  subject, 
and  having  its  topics  alphabetically  arranged,  not  a  moment  is 
lost.  The  matter  in  question  is  found  at  once,  digested,  con 
densed,  stripped  of  all  that  is  irrelevant  and  unnecessary,  and 
verified  by  a  comparison  of  the  best  authorities.  Moreover, 
while  only  men  of  fortune  can  collect  a  library  complete  in  all 
the  departments  of  knowledge,  a  Cyclopedia,  worth  in  itself, 
for  purposes  of  reference,  at  least  a  thousand  volumes,  is  within 
the  reach  of  all — the  clerk,  the  merchant,  the  professional  man, 
the  farmer,  the  mechanic.  In  a  country  like  ours,  where  the 
humblest  may  be  called  to  responsible  positions  requiring 
intelligence  and  general  information,  the  value  of  such  a  work 
can  not  be  over-estimated. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


PLAN   OF   THE   CYCLOP/EDIA. 

The  New  American  Cyclopaedia  presents  a  panoramic  view 
of  all  human  knowledge,  as  it  exists  at  the  present  moment. 
It  embraces  and  popularizes  every  subject  that  can  be  thought 
of.  In  its  successive  volumes  is  contained  an  inexhaustible 
fund  of  accurate  and  practical  information  on  Art  and  Science 
in  all  their  branches,  including  Mechanics,  Mathematics,  As 
tronomy,  Philosophy,  Chemistry,  and  Physiology;  on  Agri 
culture,  Commerce,  and  Manufactures;  on  Law,  Medicine,  and 
Theology  ;  on  Biography  and  History,  Geography  and  Ethnol 
ogy;  on  Political  Economy,  the  Trades,  Inventions,  Politics, 
the  Things  of  Common  Life,  and  General  Literature. 

The  Industrial  Arts  and  those  branches  of  Practical  Science 
which  have  a  direct  bearing  on  our  every-day  life,  such  as 
Domestic  Economy,  Ventilation,  the  Heating  of  Houses,  Diet, 
&c.,  are  treated  with  the  thoroughness  which  their  great  im 
portance  demands. 

The  department  of  Biography  is  full  and  complete,  embra 
cing  the  lives  of  all  eminent  persons,  ancient  and  modern.  In 
American  biography,  particularly,  great  pains  have  been  taken, 
to  present  the  most  comprehensive  and  accurate  record  that 
has  yet  been  attempted. 

In  History,  the  "New  American  Cyclopaedia  gives  no  mere 
catalogue  of  barren  dates,  but  a  copious  and  spirited  narrative, 
under  their  appropriate  heads,  of  the  principal  events  in  the 
annals  of  the  world.  So  in  Geography,  it  not  only  serves  as  a 
general  Gazetteer,  but  it  gives  interesting  descriptions  of  the 
principal  localities  mentioned,  derived  from  books  of  travel 
and  other  fresh  and  authentic  sources. 

As  far  as  is  consistent  with  thoroughness  of  research  and 
exactness  of  statement,  the  popular  method  has  been  pursued. 
The  wants  of  the  people  in  a  work  of  this  kind  have  been  care 
fully  kept  in  view  throughout. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that,  throughout  the  whole, 
perfect  fairness  to  all  sections  of  country,  local  institutions,  public 
men,  political  creeds,  and  religious  denominations,  has  been  a 
sacred  principle  and  leading  aim.  Nothing  that  can  be  con 
strued  into  an  invidious  or  offensive  allusion  has  been  admitted. 


THE  NEW  AMERICAN  CYCLOPAEDIA. 


DISTINGUISHING    EXCELLENCES. 

"While  we  prefer  that  the  work  should  speak  for  itself,  and 
that  others  should  herald  its  excellences,  we  cannot  retrain 
from  calling  attention  to  the  following  points,  in  which  we 
take  an  honest  pride  in  believing  that  the  New  American 
Cyclopaedia  surpasses  all  others: — 

I.  IN  ACCURACY  AND  FRESHNESS  OF  INFORMATION. — The 
value  of  a  work  of  this  kind  is  exactly  proportioned  to  its  cor- 
rectness.      It  must  preclude  the  necessity  of  having  other 
books.     Its  decision  must  be  final.     It  must  be  an  ultimatum 
of  reference,  or  it  is  good  for  nothing. 

II.  IN  IMPARTIALITY.— Our  work  has  undergone  the  exam 
ination  of  Argus  eyes.     It  has  stood  the  ordeal.     It  is  pro 
nounced  by  distinguished  men  and  leading  reviews  in  all  parts 
of  the  Union,  strictly  fair  and  national.     Eschewing  all  expres 
sions  of  opinion  on  controverted  points  of  science,  philosophy, 
religion,  and  politics,  it  aims  at  an  accurate  representation  of 
facts  and  institutions,  of  the  results  of  physical  research,  of  the 
prominent  events  in  the  history  of  the  world,  of  the  most  sig 
nificant  productions  of  literature  and  art,  and  of  the  celebrated 
individuals  whose  names  have  become  associated  with  the 
conspicuous  phenomena  of  their  age — doing  justice  to  all  men, 
all  creeds,  all  sections. 

III.  IN  COMPLETENESS. — It  treats  of  every  subject,  in  a  terse 
and  condensed  style,  but  fully  and  exhaustively.    It  is  believed 
that  but  few  omissions  will  be  found ;  but  whatever  topics  may, 
through  any  oversight,  be  wanting,  are  supplied  in  an  Appendix. 

IV.  IN  AMERICAN  CHARACTER. — The  New  Cyclopaedia  is 
intended  to  meet  the  intellectual  wants  of  the  American  people. 
It  is  not,  therefore,  modelled  after  European  works  of  a  similar 
design ;  but,  while  it  embraces  all  their  excellences,  has  added 
to  them  a  peculiar  and  unmistakable  American  character.     It 
is  the  production  mainly  of  American  mind. 

V.  IN  PRACTICAL  BEARING. — The  day  of  philosophical  ab 
straction  and  speculation  has  passed  away.     This  is  an  age  of 
action.    Cui  lono  is  the  universal  touchstone.    Feeling  this,  we 
have  made  our  Cyclopaedia  thoroughly  practical.    No  man  of 
action,  be  his  sphere  humble  or  exalted,can  afford  to  do  without  it. 


4  D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

VI.  IN   INTEREST   OF  STYLE. — The  cold,  formal,  and  re 
pulsive  style  usual  in  works  of  this  kind,  has  been  replaced  with 
a  style  sparkling  and  emphatically  readable.     It  has  been  the 
aim  to  interest  and  please,  as  well  as  instruct.     Many  of  our 
writers  are  men  who  hold  the  foremost  rank  in  general  litera 
ture,  and  their  articles  have  been  characterized  by  our  best 
critics  as  models  of  elegance,  force,  and  beauty. 

VII.  IN  CONVENIENCE  OP  FOEM. — No  ponderous  quartos, 
crowded  with  fine  type  that  strains  the  eyes  and  wearies  the 
brain,  are  here  presented.     The  volumes  are  just  the  right  size 
to  handle  conveniently;  the  paper  is  thick  and  white,  the  type 
large,  the  binding  elegant  and  durable. 

VIII.  IN  CHEAPNESS. — Our  Cyclopaedia  has  been  univer 
sally  pronounced  a  miracle  of  cheapness.     We  determined,  at 
the  outset,  to  enlarge  its  sphere  of  usefulness,  and  make  it 
emphatically  a  book  for  the  people,  by  putting  it  at  the  lowest 
possible  price. 

Such  being  the  character  of  the  New  American  C3Tclopa3(lia, 
an  accurate,  fresh,  impartial,  complete,  practical,  interesting, 
convenient,  cheap  Dictionary  of  General  Knowledge,  we  ask, 
who  can  afford  to  do  without  it?  Can  the  merchant,  the 
statesman,  the  lawyer,  the  physician,  the  clergyman,  to  whom 
it  gives  thorough  and  complete  information  on  every  point 
connected  with  their  several  callings?  Can  the  teacher,  who 
is  enabled,  by  the  outside  information  it  affords,  to  make  his 
instructions  doubly  interesting  and  profitable?  Can  the  far 
mer,  to  whom  it  offers  the  latest  results  of  agricultural  research 
and  experiment?  Can  the  young  man,  to  whom  it  affords  the 
means  of  storing  his  mind  with  useful  knowledge  bearing  no 
any  vocation  he  may  have  selected?  Can  the  intelligent 
mechanic,  who  wishes  to  understand  what  he  reads  in  his  daily 
paper?  Can  the  mother  of  a  family,  whom  it  initiates  into  the 
mysteries  of  domestic  economy,  and  teaches  a  thousand  things 
which  more  than  saves  its  cost  in  a  single  year?  In  a  word,  can 
any  intelligent  American,  who  desires  to  understand  the  insti 
tutions  of  his  country,  its  past  history  and  present  condition, 
and  his  own  duties  as  a  citizen,  deny  himself  this  great  Ameri 
can  digest  of  all  hnmnn  knowledge,  universally  pronounced  the 
best  Cyclopaedia  and  the  most  valuable  work  ever  published? 


THE  NEW  AMERICAN  CYCLOPAEDIA. 


CONTRIBUTORS  TO   THE  CYCLOPAEDIA. 

The  best  talent  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  many  dis 
tinguished  foreign  writers,  have  been  engaged  in  the  New 
American  Cyclopedia.  We  give  below  the  names  of  several  of 
the  most  prominent  contributors,  from  which  the  public  may 
form  some  idea  of  the  character  of  the  work. 


lion.  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  LL.D.,  New  York. 

Hon.  J.  K.  BAF.TLETT,  late  U.  S.  and  Mexican  Boundary  Commissioner,  Provi 
dence,  E.  I. 

Rev.  HENRY  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.,  New  York. 

Hon.  JEREMIAH  S.  BLACK,  U.  S.  Attorney  General,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Capt.  GEORGE  S.  BLAKE,  U.  S.  Naval  Academy,  Annapolis,  Md. 

Hon.  ERASTTTS  BROOKS,  New  York. 

EDWARD  BROWN-SEQITARD,  M.D.,  London. 

JOHN  ESTEN  COOKE,  Esq.,  Eichmond,  Va. 

Rev.  J.  W.  CUMMINGS,  D.D.,  Pastor  of  St.  Stephen's  Chur«h,  New  York. 

Prof.  JAMES  D.  DANA,  LL.D.,  Yale  College,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Hon.  CHARLES  P.  DALY,  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  New  York. 

Hon.  CHARLES  S.  DAVIKS,  LL.D.,  Portland,  Me. 

RALPH  WALDO  EMERSON,  Concord,  Mass. 

Hon.  EDWARD  EVERETT,  Boston,  Mass. 

Pres.  C.  C.  FELTON,  LL.D.,  Harvard  University,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

D.  W.  FISKE,  Esq.,  Secretary  of  tho  Geographical  and  Statistical  Society,  New 
York. 

CHARLES  L.  FLINT,  Esq.,  Secretary  of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Agriculture, 
Boston,  Mass. 

JOHN  W.  FRANCIS,  M.D.,  LL.D. 

Prof.  CHANDLER  E.  GILMAN,  M.D.,  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New 
York. 

Prof.  HENRY  GOADBY,  M.D.,  Slate  Agricultural  College  of  Michigan,  Ann 
Arbor,  Mich. 

HORACE  GREELEY,  Esq.,  New  York. 

GEORGE  W.  GREENE,  Esq.,  New  York. 

R.  A.  GUILD,  Esq.,  Librarian  of  Brown  University,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Prof.  CHARLES  W.  HACKLEY,  D.D.,  Columbia  College,  New  York. 

Hon.  JAMES  HALL,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

GERARD  HALLOCK,  Esq.,  editor  of  the  "Journal  of  Commerce,"  New  York. 

Prof.  A.  W.  HARKNESS,  Brown  University,  Providence,  R.  L 

JOHN  E.  G.  HASSARD,  Esq.,  New  York. 

CHARLF.S  C.  HAZEWELL,  Esq.,  Boston,  Mass. 

M.  HEILPRIN,  Esq..  New  York. 

RICHARD  HILDRETH,  Esq.,  author  of  "  History  of  the  United  States,"  &c.,  New 
York. 

Eev.  THOMAS  HILL,  President  of  Antioch  College,  Ohio. 

Hon.  GEORGE  S.  HILLARD,  Boston,  Mas*. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


CONTRIBUTORS    TO    THE    CYCLOP/EDIA. 

J.  S.  HITTELL,  Esq.,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

JAMES  T.  HODGE,  Esq.,  Cooper  Institute,  New  York. 

Prof.  L.  M.  HUBBARD,  D.D.,  University  of  N.  C.,  Chapel  Hill,  N.  C. 

Eev.  HENRY  N.  HUDSON,  author  of  "  Lectures  on  Shakespeare,"  &c.,  Litcb 

field,  Conn. 

Prof.  S.  W.  JOHNSON,  Yale  College,  New  Haven,  Conn. 
J.  C.  G.  KENNEDY,  Esq.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Hon.  JOHN  B.  KERR,  late  U.  S.  Minister  to  Central  America,  Baltimore,  Md. 
Eev.  T.  STARR  KING,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
CHARLES  LANMAN,  Esq.,  Washington,  D.  C. 
CHARLES  G.  LELAND,  Esq.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Prof.  JAMES  R.  LOWELL,  Harvard  University,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
E.  SHELTON  MACKENZIE,  D.C.L.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Eev.  II.  N.  McTvEiRE,  D.D.,  editor  "  Christian  Advocate,"  Nashville,  Tenn. 
CHARLES  NORDIIOFF,  Esq.,  author  of  "Stories  of  the   Island  World,"  &c,  New 

York. 

Eev.  SAMUEL  OSGOOD,  D.D.,  New  York. 

Prof.  TIIEOPIIII.US  PARSONS,  LL.D.,  Harvard  University,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
Prof.  E.  E.  PEASLEK,  M.D.,  New  York  Medical  College,  New  York. 
JOHN  L.  PEYTON,  Esq.,  Staunton,  Va. 

WILLIAM  C.  PRIME,  author  of  "  Boat  Life  and  Tent  Life,"  &c.,  New  York. 
J.  H.  EAYMOND,  LL.D.,  Principal  of  the  Polytechnic  Institute,  Brooklyn.  New 

York. 
GEORGE  SCHEDEL,  Esq.,  late  British   Consular  Agent  for  Costa  Eica,  Staten 

Island,  N.  Y. 

Prof.  ALEXANDER  G.  SCHEM,  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  Penn. 
Hon.  FRANCIS  SCHROEDER,  JR.,  late  U.  S.  Minister  to  Sweden,  Paris. 
Hon.  WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD,  U.  S.  Senator  from  New  York,  Auburn,  N.  Y. 
WILLIAM  GILMOKE  SIMMS,  LL  D.,  Charleston,  S.  C. 
Prof.  HENRY  B.  SMITH,  D.D.,  Union  Theological  Seminarv,  New  York. 
Kev.  J.  A.  SPENCER,  D.D.,  author  of  "  The  History  of  the  United  States,"  &c., 

New  York. 

Rev.  WILLIAM  B.  SPRAGUE,  D.D.,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Hon.  E  G.  SQUIER,  author  of  "  The  States  of  Central  America,"  "  Nicaragua," 

&c. 

ALEX.  W.  THAYER,  Esq.,  Berlin,  Prussia. 
JOHN  E.  THOMPSON,  Esq.,  editor  "  Southern  Literary  Messenger,"  Eichmond, 

Va. 

GEORGE  TICKNOR,  LL.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
OSMOND  TIFFANY,  Esq.,  Springfield,  Mass. 

E.  T.  TRALL,  M.D.,  author  of  "Hydropathic  Encyclopaedia,"  New  York. 
Baron  DE  TROBRIAND,  New  York. 

W.  P.  TROWBRIDGE,  Esq.,  U.  8.  Coast  Survey,  Washington,  D.  C. 
HENRY  T.  TITCKERMAN,  Esq.,  New  York. 

ALEXANDER  WALKER,  Esq.,  editor  of  the  "Delta,"  New  Orleans. 
CHARLES  S.  WEYMAN,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Eev.  W.  D.  WILSON,  D.D.,  Hobart  Free  College,  Geneva,  N.  Y. 
E.  L.  YOUMANS,  Esq.,  author  of  "  The  Hand-Book  of  Household  Science, * 

New  York. 


THE  NEW  AMERICAN  CYCLOPAEDIA. 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  PRESS  AND  DISTINGUISHED  MEN. 

In  setting  forth  what  the  Press  think  of  the  New  American 
Cyclopaedia,  we  hardly  know  where  to  begin,  so  numerous  and 
flattering  are  the  notices  it  has  received.  We  can  only  give 
here  and  there  a  brief  extract  from  the  leading  Reviews  and 
Journals,  and  letters  from  distinguished  men,  bearing  for  the 
most  part  on  special  features  of  the  work. 

The  work  itself  no  longer  needs  commendation  at  our  hands,  or  at  any  hands.  It 
has  lung  since  established  its  worth;  and,  if  there  be  in  it  any  considerable 
defect,  much  search  will  be  required  to  find  it. — North,  American,  Philadel 
phia,  Pa. 

The  great  arts  of  condensation,  of  clear  perception,  and  striking  exposition  of  the 
essential  parts  of  their  subject  have  been  fully  attained;  and  will  give  the 
reader  a  library  of  universal  knowledge  in  a  convenient  compass,  arranged  for 
ready  use,  and  attractively  presented  in  the  concise  iuid  perspicuous  style  ap 
propriate  to  such  a  work. — Letter  from  the  late  lion.  Tiios.  H.  BENTON. 

This  woik,  instead  of  being  a  mere  dictionary — a  stupid  epitome  of  dry  facts  and 
dates — is  made  up  of  attractive  and  readable  matter;  scholarly  and  sparkling 
essays;  fresh  biographies  of  living  and  dead  celebrities;  records  of  important 
discoveries  and  inventions;  and  information  on  every  subject  that  has  attract 
ed  the  attention  of  man  up  to  the  present  period.— Examiner,  Poughkeepsie, 
N.  Y. 

I  feel  quite  sure  that  it  will  be  marked  by  distinguished  ability,  and  that,  when 
concluded,  it  will  be  a  vast  storehouse  of  late  and  very  important  information 
—such  a  work  as  almost  every  intelligent  person  will  be  glad  to  have  always 
near  him  for  reference.  I  can  only  express  the  hope  that  so  large  an  under 
taking  may  be  duly  sustained,  and  crowned  with  ultimate  success.— Letter 
from  the  Rt.  Rev.  HORATIO  POTTER,  (Prot.  Epis.~)  Rishop  of  N.  Y. 

The  editors  have  done  their  duty  with  justice,  fairness,  and  liberality.  We  see 
no  instance  of  partisanship  or  partiality,  and,  as  yet,  no  proofs  of  that  hostile 
sectionality  of  which  we  have  hitherto  had  reason,  in  all  such  publications,  to 
complain. — Mercury,  Charleston,  S.  C. 

We  esteem  it  the  best  and  most  comprehensive  Cyclopaedia  that  has  yet  been  is 
sued  from  the  press  of  this  or  any  other  country.—  News,  Savannah,  On. 

When  completed,  this  Cyclopaedia  will  be  the  most  complete  library  of  knowledge 
which  has  ever  been  given  to  the  world  in  the  same  space  since  the  art  of 
printing  was  discovered.—  Union,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Its  freshness  and  general  thoroughness  give  it  a  decided  advantage  over  «ny 
other  Cyclopaedia  of  its  class  hitherto  issued  on  either  side  of  the  Atlantic.— 
Daily  Times,  N.  Y. 

It  is  a  perfect  treasury  of  knowledge.  In  all  branches  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  IB 
literature,  history,  biography,  and  geography.— Pilot,  Boston,  Masi. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  PEES3. 

The  scientific  articles  are  evidently  the  productions  of  learned  and  accomplished 
men.  Many  of  the  papers  deserve  especial  commendation,  as  presenting  the 
latest  developments  in  their  various  departments  of  research. — National  In 
telligencer,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Our  own  country  has  never  before  been  so  fairly  or  fully  represented  in  any  Cy 
clopaedia.  America,  her  resources,  her  literature,  her  politic?,  and  her  repre 
sentative  men  receive  in  this  work,  at  least,  their  full  share  of  attention.— 
Post,  Boston,  Mass. 

To  enumerate  one  half  of  its  excellences  would  require  far  more  space  than  news 
paper  columns  afford.  To  the  professional  man  and  the  laborer,  the  citizen 
and  the  farmer,  it  is  invaluable  as  an  epitome  of  all  useful  knowledge.— Lead 
er,  Cleveland,  0. 

There  is  no  conceivable  topic  which  is  not  here  discussed  as  fnlly  as  most  persons 
would  care  to  find  it. — American  Agriculturist. 

It  should  be  in  every  family,  for  in  no  other  shape  can  so  much  useful  information 
be  obtained  as  cheaply.  As  a  book  of  reference,  it  is  invaluable. — Indian® 
Sentinel. 

It  is,  without  doubt,  the  most  complete  work  of  the  kind  ever  published.  To 
prepare  it,  the  publishers  have  called  into  requisition  the  talent  of  some  of  the 
best  men  our  country  affords. — Pennsylvanian,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that,  at  least  for  the  use  of  American  readers,  and  in  some 
respects  wherever  the  English  language  is  spoken,  the  Cyclopaedia  will 
GRBATLY  SURPASS,  in  its  value  as  a  reference  book,  any  similar  compilation 
that  has  yet  been  issued  on  either  side  of  the  Atlantic.— North  American 
Review. 

Take  it  all  in  all— for  the  strict  purposes  of  an  Encyclopaedia;  for  a  clear  survey  of 
all  the  departments  of  human  knowledge ;  for  embracing  every  important 
topic  in  this  vast  range;  for  lucid  and  orderly  treatment;  for  statements  con 
densed  yet  clear;  for  its  portable  size— not  being  too  large  or  too  small ;  for 
convenience  of  reference,  and  for  practical  utility,  especially  to  American 
readers;  it  is  incomparably  the  best  work  in  the  English  language.— If. 
Y.  Evangelist. 

It  is  a  most  extraordinary  effort  of  genial  scholarship  and  of  multum  inparvo 
erudition.  We  commend  it  as  a  book  which  the  world  has  long  wanted,  and 
which  will  exert  an  incalculable  influence  in  Europe  as  regards  creating  re 
spect  for  solid  American  learning.-  Telegraph,  HarrUlurgh,Pa, 

It  has  been  truly  said  that  almost  every  man  of  note  who  ever  lived  and  died,  of 
whom  there  is  record,  has  in  it  a  place;  every  country,  province,  race,  and 
tribe ;  every  sea,  river,  lake  and  island  ;  every  science,  religion,  and,  in  short, 
almost  every  noun  in  t.ho  language,  is  descriptively  illustrated  in  the  most 
complete  shape  in  which  the  information  could  be  condensed.— Blade,  Tolt 
do,  0. 

The  various  subjects  are  not  treated  according  to  the  mere  routine  of  technical 
details,  or  in  the  settled  formularies  of  professional  science,  but,  while  the  in 
formation  is  full,  thorough,  and  accurate,  it  is  given  in  a  genial  and  attractive 
style.— Tribune,  Mobile,  Ala. 


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